What States have Legal Marijuana Laws?

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US Cannabis Laws

10 Recreational Marijuana States

Plus Washington, D.C.

Alaska
(4)

Legal since 2014
Ballot Measure 2
(53%)
1 oz
6 Plants
(3 mature)

California
(8)

Legal since 2016
Proposition 64
(57%)
1 oz
6 Plants
8 g Hash

Colorado 
(1)

Legal since 2012
Amendment 64
(55%)
1 oz
6 Plants
(3 Mature)
1 oz Hash

Massachussetts (6)

Legal since 2016
Question 4
(54%)
1 oz
6 Plants
5 g Hash

Maine
(5)

Legal since 2016
Ballot Question 2
(61%)
2.5 oz
15 Plants
5 g Hash

Michigan
(10)

Legal since 2018
Proposal 1
(55.90%)
2.5 oz
12 Plants
0.5 oz Hash

Nevada
(7)

Legal since 2016
Question 2
(54%)
1 oz
6 Plants
3.5 g Hash

Oregon
(3)

Legal since 2014
Measure 91
(56%)
8 oz
4 Plants
1 oz Hash

Vermont
(9)

Legal since 2018
Legislative Bill H.511
1 oz
6 Plants
(2 mature)
5 g Hash

Washington
(2)

Legal since 2012
Initiative 502
(56%)
1 oz
7 g Hash

Washington,
D.C.

Legal since 2014
Initiative 71
(65%)
2 oz
6 Plants
(3 Mature)

33 Medical Marijuana States

Plus Washington, D.C.

Alaska

Medical since 1998
Ballot Measure 8
(58%)

1 oz usable;
6 plants
(3 mature, 3 immature)

Arizona

Medical since 2010
Proposition 203
(50.13%)

2.5 oz usable;
12 plants

Arkansas

Medical since 2016
Ballot Measure Issue 6
(53.2%)

3 oz usable per
14-day period

California

Medical since 1996
Proposition 215
(56%)
8 oz usable;
6 mature or
12 immature plants

Colorado

Medical since 2000
Ballot Amendment 20
(54%)
2 oz usable;
6 plants
(3 mature, 3 immature)

Connecticut

Medical since 2012
House Bill 5389
(96-51 H, 21-13 S)
2.5 oz usable

Delaware

Medical since 2011
Senate Bill 17
(27-14 H, 17-4 S)
6 oz usable

Florida

Medical since 2016
Ballot Amendment 2
(71.3%)
Amount to be determined

Hawaii

Medical since 2000
Senate Bill 862
(32-18 H; 13-12 S)
4 oz usable;
7 plants

Illinois

Medical since 2013
House Bill 1
(61-57 H; 35-21 S)
2.5 ounces of usable
per 14 days

Louisiana

Medical since 2015
House Bill 1
(61-57 H; 35-21 S)
2.5 ounces of usable cannabis
per 14 days

Maine

Medical since 1999
Ballot Question 2
(61%)
2.5 oz usable;
6 plants

Maryland

Medical since 2014
House Bill 881
(125-11 H; 44-2 S)
30-day supply,
amount to be determined

Massachussetts

Medical since 2012
Ballot Question 3
(63%)
10 oz
per 60-day

Michigan

Medical since 2008
Proposal 1
(63%)
2.5 oz usable;
12 plants

Minnesota

Medical since 2014
Senate Bill 2470
(46-16 S; 89-40 H)
30-day supply of
non-smokable marijuana

Missouri

Medical since 2018
Senate Bill 2470
(46-16 S; 89-40 H)
30-day supply of
non-smokable marijuana

Montana

Medical since 2014
Initiative 148
(62%)
1 oz usable;
4 plants (mature);
12 seedlings

Nevada

Medical since 2000
Ballot Question 9
(65%)
2.5 oz usable;
12 plants

New Hampshire

Medical since 2013
House Bill 573
(284-66 H; 18-6 S)
2 ounces of usable cannabis
per 10-day period

New Jersey

Medical since 2010
Senate Bill 119
(48-14 H; 25-13 S)
2 oz usable

New Mexico

Medical since 2007
Senate Bill 523
(36-31 H; 32-3 S)
6 oz usable;
16 plants
(4 mature, 12 immature)

New York

Medical since 2014
Assembly Bill 6357
(117-13 A; 49-10 S)
30-day supply
non-smokable marijuana

North Dakota

Medical since 2016
Ballot Measure 5
(63.7%)
3 oz
per 14-day period

Ohio

Medical since 2016
House Bill 523
(71-26 H; 18-15 S)
Maximum of a 90-day supply,
amount to be determined

Oklahoma

Medical since 2018
House Bill 523
(71-26 H; 18-15 S)
Maximum of a 90-day supply,
amount to be determined

Oregon

Medical since 1998
Ballot Measure 67
(55%)
24 oz usable;
24 plants
(6 mature, 18 immature)

Pennsylvania

Medical since 2016
Senate Bill 3 (149-46 H; 42-7 S)
30-day supply

Rhode Island

Medical since 2006
Senate Bill 0710
(52-10 H; 33-1 S)
2.5 oz usable;
12 plants

Utah

Medical since 2018
Proposition 2
(52.75%)
14-day supply
(2 Oz limit)

Vermont

Medical since 2004
Senate Bill 76
(22-7) HB 645 (82-59)
2 oz usable;
9 plants
(2 mature, 7 immature)

Washington

Medical since 1998
Initiative 692
(59%)
8 oz usable;
6 plants

Washington, D.C.

Medical since 1998
Amendment Act B18-622
(13-0 vote)
2 oz dried

West Virginia

Medical since 2017
Senate Bill 386
(74-24 H; 28-6 S)
30-day supply
(amount TBD)

History of Prohibition Laws:

Many people assume that marijuana was made illegal through some kind of process involving scientific, medical, and government hearings; that it was to protect the citizens from what was determined to be a dangerous drug.

The actual story shows a much different picture. Those who voted on the legal fate of this plant never had the facts, but were dependent on information supplied by those who had a specific agenda to deceive lawmakers. You’ll see below that the very first federal vote to prohibit marijuana was based entirely on a documented lie on the floor of the Senate.

You’ll also see that the history of marijuana’s criminalization is filled with:

Racism

Fear

Protection of Corporate Profits

Yellow Journalism

Ignorant, Incompetent, and/or Corrupt Legislators

Personal Career Advancement and Greed

These are the actual reasons marijuana is illegal.

Read More from: Why is Marijuana illegal?

The Great Hypocrisy:

Cannabis is a schedule 1 Controlled Substance meaning the government believes it has zero medical value.  However, the U.S. government also holds several patents: US 6630507 B1 & US 20130059018 A1 showing cannabis to be of high medical value and interest.

Patent US6630507B1:

Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and HIV dementia. Nonpsychoactive cannabinoids, such as cannabidoil, are particularly advantageous to use because they avoid toxicity that is encountered with psychoactive cannabinoids at high doses useful in the method of the present invention. A particular disclosed class of cannabinoids useful as neuroprotective antioxidants is formula (I) wherein the R group is independently selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, and COCH3.

Patent US20130059018A1:

This invention relates to the use of phytocannabinoids, either in an isolated form or in the form of a botanical drug substance (BDS) in the treatment of cancer. Preferably the cancer to be treated is cancer of the prostate, cancer of the breast or cancer of the colon.

Evil Conspiracy:

The real reason Cannabis has been outlawed has nothing to do with its effects on the mind and body

…POT IS ILLEGAL BECAUSE BILLIONAIRES WANT TO REMAIN BILLIONAIRES!

Andrew Mellon became Hoover’s Secretary of the Treasury and Dupont’s primary investor. He appointed his future nephew-in-law, Harry J. Anslinger, to head the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
Secret meetings were held by these financial tycoons. Hemp was declared dangerous and a threat to their billion dollar enterprises. For their dynasties to remain intact, hemp had to go. These men took an obscure Mexican slang word: ‘marihuana’ and pushed it into the consciousness of America.

“MARIJUANA is DANGEROUS”

Pot is NOT harmful to the human body or mind. Marijuana does NOT pose a threat to the general public. Marijuana is very much a danger to the oil companies, alcohol, tobacco industries and a large number of chemical corporations. Various big businesses, with plenty of dollars and influence, have suppressed the truth from the people.

The truth is if marijuana was utilized for its vast array of commercial products, it would create an industrial atomic bomb! Entrepreneurs have not been educated on the product potential of pot. The super rich have conspired to spread misinformation about an extremely versatile plant that, if used properly, would ruin their companies.
Where did the word ‘marijuana’ come from? In the mid 1930s, the M-word was created to tarnish the good image and phenomenal history of the hemp plant…as you will read. The facts cited here, with references, are generally verifiable in the Encyclopedia Britannica which was printed on hemp paper for 150 years:

 

  • All schoolbooks were made from hemp or flax paper until the 1880s; Hemp Paper Reconsidered, Jack Frazier, 1974.
  • It was LEGAL TO PAY TAXES WITH HEMP in America from 1631 until the early 1800s; LA Times, Aug. 12, 1981.
  • REFUSING TO GROW HEMP in America during the 17th and 18th Centuries WAS AGAINST THE LAW! You could be jailed in Virginia for refusing to grow hemp from 1763 to 1769; Hemp in Colonial Virginia, G. M. Herdon.
  • George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other founding fathers GREW HEMP; Washington and Jefferson Diaries. Jefferson smuggled hemp seeds from China to France then to America.
  • Benjamin Franklin owned one of the first paper mills in America and it processed hemp. Also, the War of 1812 was fought over hemp. Napoleon wanted to cut off Moscow's export to England; Emperor Wears No Clothes, Jack Herer.
  • For thousands of years, 90% of all ships' sails and rope were made from hemp. The word 'canvas' is Dutch for cannabis; Webster's New World Dictionary.
  • 80% of all textiles, fabrics, clothes, linen, drapes, bed sheets, etc. were made from hemp until the 1820s with the introduction of the cotton gin.
  • The first Bibles, maps, charts, Betsy Ross's flag, the first drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were made from hemp; U.S. Government Archives.
  • The first crop grown in many states was hemp. 1850 was a peak year for Kentucky producing 40,000 tons. Hemp was the largest cash crop until the 20th Century; State Archives.
  • Oldest known records of hemp farming go back 5000 years in China, although hemp industrialization probably goes back to ancient Egypt.
  • Rembrants, Gainsboroughs, Van Goghs as well as most early canvas paintings were principally painted on hemp linen.
  • In 1916, the U.S. Government predicted that by the 1940s all paper would come from hemp and that no more trees need to be cut down. Government studies report that 1 acre of hemp equals 4.1 acres of trees. Plans were in the works to implement such programs; Department of Agriculture
  • Quality paints and varnishes were made from hemp seed oil until 1937. 58,000 tons of hemp seeds were used in America for paint products in 1935; Sherman Williams Paint Co. testimony before Congress against the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act.
  • Henry Ford's first Model-T was built to run on hemp gasoline and the CAR ITSELF WAS CONTRUCTED FROM HEMP! On his large estate, Ford was photographed among his hemp fields. The car, 'grown from the soil,' had hemp plastic panels whose impact strength was 10 times stronger than steel; Popular Mechanics, 1941.
  • Hemp called 'Billion Dollar Crop.' It was the first time a cash crop had a business potential to exceed a billion dollars; Popular Mechanics, Feb., 1938.
  • Mechanical Engineering Magazine (Feb. 1938) published an article entitled 'The Most Profitable and Desirable Crop that Can be Grown.' It stated that if hemp was cultivated using 20th Century technology, it would be the single largest agricultural crop in the U.S. and the rest of the world.
    

Hemp For Victory:

The following information comes directly from the United States Department of Agriculture’s 1942 14-minute film encouraging and instructing ‘patriotic American farmers’ to grow 350,000 acres of hemp each year for the war effort:
‘…(When) Grecian temples were new, hemp was already old in the service of mankind. For thousands of years, even then, this plant had been grown for cordage and cloth in China and elsewhere in the East. For centuries prior to about 1850, all the ships that sailed the western seas were rigged with hempen rope and sails. For the sailor, no less than the hangman, hemp was indispensable…

…Now with Philippine and East Indian sources of hemp in the hands of the Japanese…American hemp must meet the needs of our Army and Navy as well as of our industries…

…the Navy’s rapidly dwindling reserves. When that is gone, American hemp will go on duty again; hemp for mooring ships; hemp for tow lines; hemp for tackle and gear; hemp for countless naval uses both on ship and shore. Just as in the days when Old Ironsides sailed the seas victorious with her hempen shrouds and hempen sails. Hemp for victory!’
Certified proof from the Library of Congress; found by the research of Jack Herer, refuting claims of other government agencies that the 1942 USDA film ‘Hemp for Victory’ did not exist.
Hemp cultivation and production do not harm the environment. The USDA Bulletin #404 concluded that hemp produces 4 times as much pulp with at least 4 to 7 times less pollution. From Popular Mechanics, Feb. 1938:
‘It has a short growing season…It can be grown in any state…The long roots penetrate and break the soil to leave it in perfect condition for the next year’s crop. The dense shock of leaves, 8 to 12 feet above the ground, chokes out weeds.
…hemp, this new crop can add immeasurably to American agriculture and industry.’
In the 1930s, innovations in farm machinery would have caused an industrial revolution when applied to hemp. This single resource could have created millions of new jobs generating thousands of quality products. Hemp, if not made illegal, would have brought America out of the Great Depression.
William Randolph Hearst (Citizen Kane) and the Hearst Paper Manufacturing Division of Kimberly Clark owned vast acreage of timberlands. The Hearst Company supplied most paper products. Patty Hearst’s grandfather, a destroyer of nature for his own personal profit, stood to lose billions because of hemp.

In 1937, Dupont patented the processes to make plastics from oil and coal. Dupont’s Annual Report urged stockholders to invest in its new petrochemical division. Synthetics such as plastics, cellophane, celluloid, methanol, nylon, rayon, Dacron, etc., could now be made from oil. Natural hemp industrialization would have ruined over 80% of Dupont’s business.