Marijuana Legalization by State 2024

Edmund Murphy
Dr. Jenni Jacobsen
Written by Edmund Murphy on 23 August 2021
Medically reviewed by Dr. Jenni Jacobsen on 03 December 2024

The legal status of marijuana is changing rapidly throughout the country, which can make it confusing to know exactly what is legal and where. Our index will inform you exactly where marijuana is legal and in what context.

The growing popularity of legalized marijuana

Less than 15 years ago, marijuana use was illegal throughout the United States. With the growing application and popularity of medicinal marijuana as a means of treating chronic pain conditions and other medical concerns, the substance is now legal for medicinal use in 38 states. It is fully legal for use in 24 states and the District of Columbia, and it is decriminalized in a further seven states.

Over this time, there has been a steep increase in the amount of marijuana use in the United States, with marijuana being the third highest type of substance abuse after tobacco and alcohol. In 2021, 11% of young adults reported using marijuana daily, compared to 6% in 2011.

Medicinal marijuana has been able to help people manage painful conditions, like arthritis and cancer, and it has also contributed to economic growth. In 2022, there was a 33% increase in marijuana-related jobs created within one year, with over 100,000 new jobs created since 2021.  Additionally, the worth of the legal marijuana industry was estimated at $33.6 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach over $76 billion by 2030.

Earlier this year, it was reported that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has begun to implement actions that would move marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III. This recognizes the medicinal benefits of marijuana, allowing its use in clinical trials. Although it would still be illegal on a federal level, penalization for the possession and use of marijuana would be reduced.

Marijuana legalization continues to change across the country. Below is an up-to-date list (as of October 2024) of the legal status of marijuana, including whether it is legal for adult use, legal for medicinal purposes, or decriminalized (that is no jail penalty and reduced fines for possession).

(In this chart, CBD oil refers to oil made with small amounts of THC).

StateLegal for useLegal for medicinal useDecriminalized
AlabamaNoYesNo
AlaskaYesYesYes
ArizonaYesYesYes
ArkansasNoYesNo
CaliforniaYesYesYes
ColoradoYesYesYes
ConnecticutYesYesYes
DelawareYesYesYes
District of ColumbiaYesYesYes
FloridaNoYesNo
GeorgiaNoCBD Oil OnlyNo
HawaiiNoYesYes
IdahoNoNoNo
IllinoisYesYesYes
IndianaNoCBD Oil OnlyNo
IowaNoCBD Oil OnlyNo
KansasNoNoNo
KentuckyNoYesNo
LouisianaNoYesYes
MaineYesYesYes
MarylandYesYesYes
MassachusettsYesYesYes
MichiganYesYesYes
MinnesotaYesYesYes
MississippiNoYesYes
MissouriYesYesYes
MontanaYesYesYes
NebraskaNoNoYes
NevadaYesYesYes
New HampshireNoYesYes
New JerseyYesYesYes
New MexicoYesYesYes
New YorkYesYesYes
North CarolinaNoNoYes
North DakotaNoYesYes
OhioYesYesYes
OklahomaNoYesNo
OregonYesYesYes
PennsylvaniaNoYesNo
Rhode IslandYesYesYes
South CarolinaNoNoNo
South DakotaNoYesNo
TennesseeNoCBD Oil OnlyNo
TexasNoCBD Oil OnlyNo
UtahNoYesNo
VermontYesYesYes
VirginiaYesYesYes
WashingtonYesYesYes
West VirginiaNoYesNo
WisconsinNoCBD Oil OnlyNo
WyomingNoNoNo
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Resources:

  1. Johnston, M. (Updated 2024). U.S. Marijuana Laws by State. Britannica. Retrieved from
  2. National Institutes of Health. (2022). Marijuana and Hallucinogen Use Among Young Adults Reached All-Time High in 2021. NIH. Retrieved from
  3. Barcott, B., & Whitney, B. (2022). The US Cannabis Industry Now Supports 428,059 Jobs. Leafly. Retrieved from
  4. Grand View Research. (2023). U.S. Cannabis Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Source (Hemp, Marijuana), By Derivatives (CBD, THC), By End-use (Medical Use, Recreational Use), By Cultivation (Indoor, Outdoor), And Segment Forecasts, 2024 – 2030. Retrieved from
  5. Miller, Z., Goodman, J., Mustian, J., & Whitehurst, L. (Updated 2024). US Poised to Ease Restrictions on Marijuana in Historic Shift, But it’ll Remain Controlled Substance. AP News. Retrieved from
  6. DISA. (Updated 2024). Marijuana Legality by State. Retrieved from
  7. Amin, M. R., & Ali, D. W. (2019). Pharmacology of Medical Cannabis. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1162, 151–165. Retrieved from
  8. Gabay M. (2013). The federal controlled substances act: schedules and pharmacy registration. Hospital pharmacy, 48(6), 473–474.

Activity History - Last updated: 03 December 2024, Published date:


Reviewer

Dr. Jenni Jacobsen has a PhD in psychology, and she teaches courses on mental health and addiction at the university level and has written content on mental health and addiction for over 10 years.

Activity History - Medically Reviewed on 30 June 2021 and last checked on 03 December 2024

Medically reviewed by
Dr. Jenni Jacobsen

Dr. Jenni Jacobsen

PhD

Reviewer

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