This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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As of now, 11 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized the recreational use of marijuana. An additional 22 states — along with U.S. territories Puerto Rico and Guam — allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes. Weed, of course, remains illegal at the federal level.
Support for marijuana legalization, however, is at a record high. According to a survey published by the Pew Research Center in January 2018, 61% of Americans think weed should be legalized. That support has translated to many changes in policy. For example, in June 2019, Illinois became the first state to legalize the possession and commercial sale of recreational marijuana through the legislature, rather than by ballot. In January 2018, Vermont became the first state to legalize the consumption and possession of recreational marijuana through a state legislature.
It might be a while before the U.S. joins the growing list of countries that have either legalized or decriminalized cannabis. In the meantime, let's take a look at the states that have legalized marijuana in some form.
Alaska
Medical: Legalized in 1998.
Recreational: Legalized in 2014.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Alaska bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to one ounce of marijuana and six plants, with a maximum of three mature plants at the same time. The same restrictions apply for those who use cannabis recreationally.
Arizona
Medical: Legalized in 2011.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 18 or older can legally possess weed. Arizona bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to two-and-a-half ounces of marijuana and 12 plants.
Arkansas
Medical: Legalized in 2016.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Arkansas bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to two-and-a-half ounces of marijuana in a two-week period.
California
Medical: Legalized in 1996.
Recreational: Legalized in 2016.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. California bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to eight ounces, depending on their medical condition, and up to six plants. For recreational use, people are allowed to own up to one ounce of marijuana, eight grams of concentrate, and six plants.
Colorado
Medical: Legalized in 2001.
Recreational: Legalized in 2012.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Colorado bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to two ounces of marijuana and six plants, with a maximum of three mature plants at the same time.
For recreational use, people are allowed to own up to one ounce of weed and the same medical restrictions apply for cultivation.
Connecticut
Medical: Legalized in 2012.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Connecticut bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to two-and-a-half ounces of marijuana.
Delaware
Medical: Legalized in 2011.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Delaware bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to six ounces of marijuana.
District Of Columbia
Medical: Legalized in 1998.
Recreational: Legalized in 2014.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. D.C. bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to two ounces of marijuana and six plants, with a maximum of three mature plants at the same time. The same restrictions apply for those who use cannabis recreationally.
Florida
Medical: Legalized in 2016.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Florida bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed to own a 210-day supply of cannabis products that are not smokable.
Hawaii
Medical: Legalized in 2000.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Hawaii bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to four ounces of marijuana and seven plants.
Illinois
Medical: Legalized in 2013.
Recreational: Legalized in 2019 (goes into effect January 1, 2020).
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess up to 30 grams of weed, 5 grams of cannabis concentrate, or 500 milligrams of THC in edibles, tinctures, and lotions. Visitors can possess up to 15 grams. Illinois bans all use of pot in public spaces, near those who are under 21, and while driving a vehicle, boat, or flying a plane.
Illinois was the first state to legalize the possession and commercial sale of recreational marijuana through the legislature rather than by ballot. On January 1, 2020, the state’s medical dispensaries will be licensed to sell recreational weed as well.
Louisiana
Medical: Legalized in 2016.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Louisiana bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are only allowed to own a 30-day supply of cannabis products that are not smokable.
Maine
Medical: Legalized in 1999.
Recreational: Legalized in 2016.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Maine bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to two and a half ounces of marijuana, five grams of concentrate, and six plants. The same restrictions apply for those who use cannabis for recreational use.
Maryland
Medical: Legalized in 2014.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Maryland bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed to own a 30-day supply of cannabis products that are not smokable or edible.
Massachusetts
Medical: Legalized in 2013.
Recreational: Legalized in 2016.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Massachusetts bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to ten ounces per every two months and six plants. For recreational use, people are allowed to own up to one ounce of marijuana, five grams of concentrate, and six plants.
Michigan
Medical: Legalized in 2008.
Recreational: Legalized in 2018.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Michigan bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to two-and-a-half ounces of marijuana and 12 plants. For recreational use, people are allowed to own up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana on their person, up to 10 ounces at home, and 12 plants.
Minnesota
Medical: Legalized in 2014.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Minnesota bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed to own a 30-day supply of cannabis products that are not smokable.
Missouri
Medical: Legalized in 2018.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Missouri bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to four ounces of marijuana and six plants.
Montana
Medical: Legalized in 2004.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Montana bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to one ounce of marijuana and four plants.
Nevada
Medical: Legalized in 2001.
Recreational: Legalized in 2016.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Nevada bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to two-and-a-half ounces of marijuana and 12 mature plants. For recreational use, people are allowed to own up to one ounce of marijuana, three-and-a-half grams of concentrate, and six plants.
New Hampshire
Medical: Legalized in 2013.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. New Hampshire bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to two ounces of marijuana.
New Jersey
Medical: Legalized in 2010.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. New Jersey bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to two ounces of marijuana monthly.
New Mexico
Medical: Legalized in 2007.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. New Mexico bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to eight ounces of marijuana over a period of 90 days and 16 plants, with a maximum of four mature plants at the same time.
New York
Medical: Legalized in 2014.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. New York bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed to own a 30-day supply of cannabis products that are not smokable.
North Dakota
Medical: Legalized in 2016.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. North Dakota bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed up to three ounces of marijuana and two grams of concentrate in a 30-day period.
Ohio
Medical: Legalized in 2016.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Ohio bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Every 90 days patients can own up to eight ounces of tier I medical cannabis (below 23% THC), 5.3 ounces of tier II medical cannabis (above 23% THC but less than 35%), topical forms totaling less than 26.55 grams of THC, 9.9 grams of THC in edible forms, and 53.1 grams of THC in oil for vaporization.
Oklahoma
Medical: Legalized in 2018.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Patients of any age with a medical marijuana license may possess up to eight ounces of weed, six mature marijuana plants, six seedling plants, one ounce of concentrated marijuana, and 72 ounces of edibles, but only three ounces of weed on their person.
Marijuana use is prohibited in the same spaces as tobacco smoking is, under the Smoking in Public Places and Indoor Workplaces Act.
Oregon
Medical: Legalized in 1998.
Recreational: Legalized in 2014.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Oregon bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to 24 ounces of marijuana, 16 ounces of cannabis-infused edibles, 72 ounces in liquid form, five grams of concentrates, and four plants. For recreational use, people are allowed to own up to one ounce of marijuana in public and eight ounces in private along with the same edibles, concentrates, and cultivation restrictions in place for the use of medical marijuana.
Pennsylvania
Medical: Legalized in 2016.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Pennsylvania bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are only allowed to own a 30-day supply of cannabis products that are not smokable.
Rhode Island
Medical: Legalized in 2006.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Rhode Island bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed to own up to two-and-a-half ounces of marijuana and 12 plants.
Utah
Medical: Legalized in 2018.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Utah bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed to own a two onces of non-smokable cannabis and six plants, as long as they live more than 100 miles away from a licensed dispensary.
Vermont
Medical: Legalized in 2004.
Recreational: Legalized in 2018.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Vermont bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to two ounces of marijuana and nine plants, with a maximum of two mature plants at the same time. For recreational use, people are allowed to own up to one ounce of marijuana and four plants, with a maximum of two mature plants at the same time.
Vermont was the first state to legalize the consumption and possession of recreational marijuana through a state legislature rather than through a ballot initiative.
Washington
Medical: Legalized in 1998.
Recreational: Legalized in 2012.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. Washington bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients can own up to three ounces of marijuana, 48 ounces of cannabis-infused edibles, 216 ounces in liquid form, and 21 grams of concentrate. They're allowed to cultivate up to six plants if they join the voluntary state database. Otherwise, they can cultivate up to four plants.
For recreational use, people are allowed to own up to one ounce of marijuana, 16 ounces of cannabis-infused edibles, 72 ounces in liquid form, and seven grams of concentrate.
West Virginia
Medical: Legalized in 2016.
Recreational: Illegal.
How it works: Only those who are 21 or older can legally possess weed. West Virginia bans all use of pot in public spaces.
Patients are allowed to own a 30-day supply of cannabis products that are not smokable or edible.
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