Providing an overview of the status of cannabis in the U.S. is challenging at best. On the federal level, things are fairly straight forward. Cannabis is federally illegal and has been for 88 years and counting. But, as Visual Capitalist’s Avery Koop and Aran Ali detail below, getting down to the state level, however, changes things.
This map from Tenacious Labs breaks down the legal status of cannabis across every U.S. state, and details how lenient each one is when it comes to criminalization.
No Cannabis Allowed
Cannabis—the plant from which marijuana is made—is still considered a dangerous and criminal substance in many U.S. states. In fact, there are six states where cannabis is illegal, of which five are yet to decriminalize. This means an individual can be criminally prosecuted for possessing certain amounts.
Most states began decriminalizing marijuana decades ago, but not all have chosen to partake in this trend. Prosecutors in Alabama for example are able to charge someone with a felony offense for possessing marijuana.
In most states where cannabis is illegal, it is not decriminalized. In particular, only one illegal state has decriminalized the substance—Nebraska.
Medical Use Only
In some U.S. states, approved medical usage of cannabis could be a precursor towards full legalization. Just as it was for states like California and Oregon. However, some states that allow medical usage have chosen not to decriminalize cannabis for recreational purposes.
Many states have lists of qualifying conditions which allow a person to carry prescribed amounts of cannabis—often for ailments like glaucoma or cancer. States like Iowa allow cannabis to treat medical conditions, but only if it is CBD-based rather than THC-based.
Interestingly enough, all CBD-based cannabis products with THC levels less than or equal to 0.3% are fully legal on a federal level.
Cannabis Allowed
Some states are famously legal, like Colorado. The legalization of cannabis in Colorado, for example, has added numerous jobs, investments, and a new market to the economy—not to mention billions of dollars.
Overall, there are 18 states (and Washington D.C.) which have fully legalized cannabis—allowing both medical and recreational usage—and over 20 which have legalized cannabis for medical use only.
With the current Democratic government, federal legalization seems more likely. In fact, the MORE Act (Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act) was recently reintroduced in the House of Representatives pushing forward the progress for federal cannabis legalization in America.
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They don’t call it Dope for nothing.
Just keep in mind if using Mary J. not to buy a firearm, paperwork will hang you.
But not Hunter, he is connected.
If you have pain the heavy duty (not 3%) cbd salve really works, especially on arthritis.
Anyone can buy in Montana now, but if you don’t have a medical card they charge a ‘recreation’ tax. What a racket. I always thought they’re dragging it out until big pharma could get a foothold. Many of the small businesses (pot) have been bought up-I wonder by whom?
This is Guest.
Medterra is a company that sells strong CBD online. Sometimes they have two for one specials. Many CBD products are so weak they probably have no effect.
I live in the least restrictive state in the union, as far as cannabis is concerned. We are allowed twelve plants per household with none of the silly restrictions that plague Ca, Co, Or, NV, or Wa. If you are in violation it is 100 dollar fine/ misdemeanor, usually after several warnings. It is, in affect a code violation.
AFAIC the empire can stick their federal decriminalization up their keister. We don’t need your approval. After several failed attempts to decriminalize here, the law was written with very little wiggle room. The police cannot seize your property, guns, money or anything else on account of you growing DOPE. That is as it should be. The only tax is if your stupid enough to buy from one of the .GUV dispensaries which tack on 22% for a mostly inferior product.
I got ahold of a strain called catatonic. Low by THC standards 12-15% it is the only strain I’ve found which has a 1-1 ratio of CBD to THC, Making it excellent for pain/ inflammation reduction. I don’t even smoke anymore as my lungs won’t allow, but I love being able to grow medicine that helps many people pull away from the addictive evils of big pharma.
If lungs are bad you can make tincture. Get some everclear or vodka and soak the weed in it. Strain off through a coffee filter after a few weeks.
I continually grow the allowed 4 plants here and make this for an old couple that are my neighbours. They put some in their morning tea with lots of honey as it tastes like crap. Think Buckley’s. It has turned them from crippled with pain TV watchers into people who can garden and go for walks again.
Great arrangement. I give this to them and I get cakes, pies, cookies, veggies and fruit from them. It’s like having Grandma back again.
It is medicine. Medicine without the numerous side effects that their FDA approved medicines have.
It is medicine anonymous. The first time I made a tincture it tasted like shit, then I learned to de-carbolize first. Made some with homemade moonshine last year. I also use it in coconut oil. Have a few people I trade with as well.
Being able to grow 12 plants legally makes a huge difference. I’m hoping for upwards of 1-2 pounds per plant this year. The haters will sadly never know what an amazing plant it is.
The legalized weed industry in California is collapsing financially. They are asking for a bailout from Governor Newscum.
Where’s a pothead going to go to buy his weed? From a government regulated pothouse or from the Mexican cartel dealers who gives him at a 50% discount off the government approved rates?
The illegal pot sellers in California have 75% or more of the market.
I guess they didn’t figure this out when they legalized it.
Not to mention that anything the gubment touches diminishes the quality…
There is no situation that the government cannot F’ up simply by involving itself in it.
Are there weak varieties, but still stronger than the wild plant? I hope that after the collapse, I can find some for my slaves to grow to help keep them in line.
Cannabis has been illegal at the federal level since 1971. See Leary v US, 1968. That case did away with the 1937 Tax Act, which did not make cannabis hemp illegal, it used the tax code to make it prohibitively expensive. Nixon passed the Controlled substances act and created what we have now. Cannabis was legal at the federal level from 68 to 71, although you could still get the death penalty in Texas