Since medical cannabis was first legalized in Colorado in 1996, nearly half the country has legalized marijuana for recreational use. Even more states have decriminalized weed or allowed marijuana to be used for medical purposes.
These maps show which states have legalized recreational or medical marijuana or decriminalized weed as of 2024.
Map of states where recreational weed is legal in 2024
As of April 2024, recreational marijuana is legal in 24 states, or nearly half the country, according to the Pew Research Center.
The states where recreational weed is legal are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. It is also legal in Washington, D.C.
Recreational use, where legal, is limited to adults 21 years of age and older.
Map of states where medical weed is legal in 2024
Medicinal marijuana is legal in 13 states. It is also legal in all the states where recreational use of weed is permitted.
Current Marijuana Laws in the United States
Various states in the United States have different laws regarding marijuana use and possession:
- Medical Use Allowed: Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia
- Decriminalized for Certain Uses: Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota
- States with Civil Fines or Drug Treatment for Marijuana Possession: Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota
- Illegal but Decriminalized: Nebraska, North Carolina
- Illegal and Not Decriminalized: Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin
- CBD Products Allowed: Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin
Where is weed illegal in 2024?
In Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina, and Wyoming, marijuana and all cannabis products are illegal and not decriminalized.
What other countries have legalized weed?
Several countries have legalized marijuana, including Canada, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, and Thailand.
