Life

Where Is Weed Legal? Here's A Guide

by Kiersten Hickman
Dominik Martin/Unsplash

I’m sure you’ve heard by now that cannabis won big during the 2016 election, which — when coupled with the fact that April 20, or 420, is approaching, probably leads you to the following question: where is weed legal now? The initiatives passed during the 2016 election were not nationwide, which means weed is only legal in particular states. In total, 27 states have legalized laws for marijuana. It's legal in eight of those states for recreational use, while the rest of the states have laws stating it's legal for medicinal use only.

This list in particular is a useful one for you in April. Why? Well, 420 is right around the corner. For those of you not familiar with the term, 420 is also known as National Weed Day — which has an interesting backstory all of its own. If you plan on observing 420 this year, then this list is probably going to be a very useful tool for you.

Although the following states have either approved medical or recreational use of marijuana, they aren’t the only states where people are campaigning for legal use of marijuana. Right now there are tons of initiatives and bills waiting to pass that allow recreational and medical use of marijuana, along with decriminalizing marijuana. For example, you can legally smoke weed in Washington D.C., but it’s still illegal to buy pot within the confines of the U.S. capital.

The following eight states are legalized for medical and recreational use of marijuana:

  • Alaska
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Nevada
  • Oregon
  • Washington

As CNN points out, the other 19 states that allow medical use of marijuana include:

  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

So if the state you currently reside in is on this list (either for recreational or you have a medical card), and you're above the legal age, then it is legal to use cannabis — just remember to use responsibly.