Legality of cannabis by U.S. jurisdiction
In the United States, the use and possession of cannabis is illegal under federal law for any purpose, by way of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Under the CSA, cannabis is classified as a Schedule I substance, determined to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use – thereby prohibiting even medical use of the drug.[1] At the state level, however, policies regarding the medical and recreational use of cannabis vary greatly, and in many states conflict significantly with federal law.
The medical use of cannabis is legalized (with a doctor's recommendation) in 33 states, four out of five permanently inhabited U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.[2] Fourteen other states have laws that limit THC content, for the purpose of allowing access to products that are rich in cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of cannabis.[2] Although cannabis remains a Schedule I drug, the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment prohibits federal prosecution of individuals complying with state medical cannabis laws.[3]
The recreational use of cannabis is legalized in 11 states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington), the District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. Another 16 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands have decriminalized.[4] Commercial distribution of cannabis is allowed in all jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized, except Vermont and the District of Columbia. Prior to January 2018, the Cole Memorandum provided some protection against the enforcement of federal law in states that have legalized, but it was rescinded by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.[5]
Although the use of cannabis remains federally illegal, some of its derivative compounds have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for prescription use. Cannabinoid drugs which have received FDA approval are Marinol (THC), Syndros (THC), Cesamet (nabilone), and Epidiolex (cannabidiol). For non-prescription use, cannabidiol derived from industrial hemp is legal at the federal level but legality (and enforcement) varies by state.[6][7]
Legal | Legal for medical use | Legal for medical use, limited THC content | Prohibited for any use | D Decriminalized |
By state
State | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
felony (1st-offense possession is a misdemeanor) |
non-psychoactive CBD oil | not clearly stated | illegal | First-time may be punished as a misdemeanor, but further possession, or intent to sell, can result in felony charges. |
||
legal | legal | up to 1 oz. (28 grams)[8] | 12 plants in a household with two adults 21+,[9] or no limit with commercial license | |||
Illegal | legal | medical use only | medical use only | November 2010: medical marijuana legalized when Proposition 203 passed with 50.13% of the vote.[11][12][13] |
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Illegal | legal | medical use only | medical use only | Possession under three ounces a misdemeanor; Cities of Fayetteville and Eureka Springs labeled cannabis their lowest law enforcement priority. November 8, 2016: medical marijuana legalized when Issue 6 passed by 53%.[14] |
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legal | legal | up to 1oz. (28 grams) | six plants, or commercially licensed | July 1975: Senate Bill 95 reduced the penalty for possession of one ounce (28.5 grams) or less of cannabis to a citable misdemeanor.[15] |
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legal | legal | up to 1 oz. (28 grams) | six plants, or commercially licensed[17] | Colorado Amendment 64 legalized the sale and possession of marijuana for non-medical use on November 6, 2012, including cultivation of up to six plants with up to three mature.[18][19] Colorado became the second state to legalize, going into effect four days after Washington state.[20] It was the first state for legal retail sales to become established.[21] |
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D | decriminalized | legal | felony (legal for medical use) | felony | Possession of less than a half-ounce by those 21 or over, results in graduated fines, and confiscation. Under 21 face more sanctions, with temporary loss of drivers license.[22] |
|
D | decriminalized (civil infraction) | legal | medical use only | medical use only | February 10, 2012: Governor Markell suspended medical marijuana after a Justice Department letter threatened federal prosecution. On August 31, 2016, Gov. Markell signed House Bill 400, expanding medical cannabis programs for those with a terminal illness.[23][24] |
|
illegal | legal | medical use only | medical use only | November 8, 2016: medical marijuana legalized as of July 1, 2017 when voters passed Amendment 2 by 71%.[25] |
||
illegal; decriminalized in the cities of Atlanta[26], Clarkston[27], Forest Park[28], Savannah, South Fulton[29], Statesboro[30], and unincorporated Fulton County[31] | CBD oil less than 5% THC | medical use only | illegal | Misdemeanor possession of one ounce or less can be punished by a fine up to $1000 or up to 12 months in jail.[32] It is a felony for anyone to possess more than one ounce, manufacture, deliver, distribute, dispense, administer, purchase, sell, or possess with intent to distribute marijuana and it is punishable by imprisonment for no less than one year and no more than ten years.[33] City and county level punishments for misdemeanor possessions vary. April 16, 2015: use of low-THC CBD oil legalized for medical use, but in-state cultivation, production, and sale remains illegal.[34] |
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State | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes | |
D | decriminalized [35] | legal | against program rules. | medical use only | June 15, 2000: Governor Benjamin Cayetano signed bill legalizing medical marijuana. First state legislature to do so.[36][37] July 14, 2015: Governor David Ige signed bill allowing medical cannabis dispensaries.[38] July 14, 2016: Governor Ige signed law expanding medical cannabis programs.[39] June 25, 2019: Governor Ige announced that he would not veto a bill passed by the legislature to decriminalize less than three grams of marijuana. Law went into effect January 11, 2020. [35] |
|
misdemeanor (85 grams/3 oz. or less) | CBD oil containing 0% THC | not clearly stated | felony | Possession of 3 ounces or less a misdemeanor up to 1 year prison or fine up to $1,000 or both. More than 3 ounces but less than 1 pound a felony up to 5 years in prison or fine up to $10,000 or both.[40] In 2015, the Idaho Attorney General stipulated that CBD must both contain zero THC and be derived from one of the five identified parts of the cannabis plant, otherwise it is illegal in Idaho under current law.[41] |
||
legal[42] | legal | up to 1.1 oz. (30 grams) | five plants in home for medical use only, or commercially licensed for recreational[43] | Cannabis Control Act of 1978 allowed for medical marijuana but was never implemented.[44][45] August 1, 2013: Gov. Pat Quinn signed bill legalizing medical marijuana effective January 1, 2014.[46] May 31, 2019: The General Assembly passed the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act to legalize recreational marijuana use beginning January 1, 2020, allowing adults age 21 and over to possess up to 30 grams.[47] With Gov. Pritzker's signature on June 25, Illinois became the first state in the nation to legalize adult marijuana sales through an act of state legislature.[48][42] |
||
misdemeanor up to 6 months, $1000 fine | CBD oil less than 0.3% THC, legal for any use | not clearly stated | illegal |
|
||
illegal | cannabis oil less than 3% THC | not clearly stated | felony |
|
||
misdemeanor | CBD oil containing 0% THC, legal for any use | not clearly stated | illegal | |||
misdemeanor (less than 8 oz (230 g)) | CBD oil | not clearly stated | misdemeanor (less than 5 plants) |
|
||
illegal | legal | medical use only | illegal |
|
||
legal | legal | legal to carry up to 2.5oz. (71 grams) | up to three mature plants, 12 immature plants and unlimited number of seedlings; or commercially licensed [52] | |||
D | decriminalized (10g or less) | legal | medical use only | illegal | April 14, 2014: SB 364 decriminalized possession of 10 grams or less punishable by $100 fine for first offense, $250 fine for second offense, and $500 fine plus possible drug treatment for third offense. HB 881 legalized medical cannabis. Both laws effective October 1, 2014.[57][58] |
|
State | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes | |
legal | legal | up to 1 oz. (28 grams) | 1 oz of marijuana outside the home, 10 oz inside the home, up to six plants. Or a commercial license[59] | |||
legal | legal | medical and recreational | 2.5 oz of marijuana outside the home, allows 10 oz and up to 12 plants per household, or commercially licensed[65] |
|
||
D | decriminalized | legal | medical use only | medical use only | ||
D | decriminalized (first offense; 30 grams or less) | CBD oil | not clearly stated | illegal |
|
|
D | decriminalized | legal | not clearly stated | legal for medical use |
|
|
illegal | legal | medical use only | medical use only | Possession 60 grams or less up to 6 months in prison and fine of $100–$500. Second offense up to 3 years in prison or fine up to $1,000 or both. More than 60 grams a felony up to 5 years in prison or fine up to $50,000 or both. Intent to distribute a felony up to 20 years in prison or fine up to $50,000 or both.[68] |
||
D | decriminalized (first offense only) | illegal | not clearly stated | illegal | Possession up to one ounce fined up to $300 for first offense, with potential mandatory drug education. Second offense fine up to $500 and up to five days' jail, third offense up to $500 fine and maximum one week jail.[69] |
|
legal | legal | medical and recreational use | adults at least 21 years old can grow in home (6 plants per household), or commercially licensed[70] | November 7, 2000: medical marijuana legalized with 65% vote on Question 9.[71][72] |
||
D | Decriminalized (up to three-quarters of an ounce) | legal | medical use only | medical use only | July 23, 2013: medical marijuana legalized when Governor Maggie Hassan signed HB 573.[75][76] July 11, 2015: Governor Hassan expanded medical marijuana law.[77]
July 18, 2017: Governor Chris Sununu signed bill decriminalizing up to three-quarters of an ounce. |
|
illegal | legal | medical use only | medical use only | January 18, 2010: medical marijuana law signed by Governor Jon Corzine. Maximum 1 year in prison and 1,000 dollar fine for possession of up to 50 grams.[78][79] September 19, 2016: Governor Chris Christie signed Assembly Bill 457 adding PTSD as qualifying condition for medical marijuana, effective immediately.[80] |
||
State | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes | |
D | decriminalized | legal | medical use only | medical use only | Medical use was legalized in 2007 when Governor Bill Richardson signed Senate Bill 523.[81][82] Legislation to decriminalize was signed in 2019.[83] |
|
D | decriminalized[84] | legal | medical use only | misdemeanor | July 14, 2014: medical marijuana legalized when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation allowing edibles, oils, pills, and vaporization, but not smoking.[85][86][87] June 20, 2019: full decriminalization bill passed legislature, sending the bill to Governor Cuomo, who is expected to sign it. The bill decriminalizes amounts under two ounces, providing for a $50 fine for under one ounce and $100 for under two ounces. It also eliminates the "in public view" loophole whereby police would demand suspects empty their pockets, thus causing the cannabis to be in public view.[88] |
|
D | decriminalized (1.5 oz or less) | CBD oil | illegal | illegal |
|
|
D | decriminalized (0.5 oz or less) | legal | medical use only | |||
D | decriminalized (civil infraction) | legal | not clearly stated | medical use only | June 8, 2016: Governor John Kasich signed legislation legalizing medical marijuana.[91] |
|
illegal | legal | not clearly stated | legal with medicinal license |
|
||
legal | legal | up to 1 oz., more for licensed cultivators | (adults 21+) 4 plants per household, or commercially licensed[94] | In 1973, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize cannabis.[95] Voter approved Measure 91 November 4, 2014 provides for possession and sale of set amounts of cannabis.[96][97] Cannabis sentencing reform signed July 1, 2015 by Governor Kate Brown.[98][99] More medical cannabis reforms signed July 28, 2015 by Governor Brown effective October 1, 2015.[100][101] Governor Brown signed 25% cannabis sales tax.[102] |
||
illegal | legal | medical use only | medical use only | Medical use law signed by Governor Wolf April 17, 2016. Possession of 30g or less up to 30 days in jail and fine up to $500. More than 30g a misdemeanor up to a year in jail and $5000 fine.[103] |
||
D | decriminalized (civil violation) | legal | medical use only | medical use only | Possession of an ounce $150 fine, three violations within 18 months a misdemeanor with larger fines or prison or both.[104] |
|
misdemeanor[105] | cannabis oil less than 0.9% THC | CBD oil | illegal |
|
||
State | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes | |
misdemeanor | illegal | not clearly stated | illegal | Personal use of 2 oz or less a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by a maximum 1 year in prison and a maximum fine $2,000.[107] |
||
misdemeanor (less than 1/2 ounce; first or second offense only). | cannabis oil less than 0.9% THC | CBD oil | misdemeanor: 9 plants or less; felony: 10+ plants | First-time possession one year supervised probation instead of one year in prison; *Possession of 1/2 ounce or more for resale a felony. CBD oil possession allowed as of May 4, 2015, if suffering seizures or epilepsy with recommendation of doctor.[108] |
||
Illegal. "Cite and Release" in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin residents of Travis County | CBD oil with no more than 0.5% THC and no less than 10% CBD | not clearly stated | illegal | Dec. 2014: "possession of up to two ounces of marijuana can result in a jail sentence of up to six months and fine of up to $2,000."[109] June 1, 2015: governor Greg Abbott signed a bill legalizing CBD oil for medical use in patients with intractable epilepsy.[110] In May 2019, Texas expanded the qualifying conditions of medical cannabis to include Parkinson's disease, ALS, autism, multiple sclerosis, spasticity and terminal cancer.[111] |
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misdemeanor | legal | not clearly stated | illegal | HB 105 signed in 2014 allows use of low-THC cannabis oil for patients with epilepsy.[112] HB 195 signed in March 2018 allows cannabis for certain terminally ill patients.[113] Possession up to an ounce 6-months prison and maximum fine $1,000. Over 10 ounces $10,000 fine. Selling any amount a felony with 5 years in prison and $5,000 fine.[114] |
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legal (up to one ounce or yield of two mature plants, no commercial sales[115]) | legal (medical sales allowed) | legal | two mature plants, four immature, no commercial cultivation | May 19, 2004: medical marijuana legalized when Senate Bill 76 passed,[116] expanded in June 2007 by SB 7.[117] |
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D | decriminalized | cannabis oil less than 5% THC | not clearly stated | illegal | Decriminalized up to one ounce (punishable by a $25 fine) per legislation signed by Gov. Ralph Northam in April 2020.[127] |
|
legal | legal | legal | legal with restrictions and commercial licensing | Legalized by Washington Initiative 502 in 2012, the law permits anyone over 21 to carry one ounce, and it requires licensed sellers, distributors and growers. Home growing is not allowed except for medical use.[128] First state to legalize recreational marijuana (Dec 6, 2012, four days before Colorado).[129] |
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misdemeanor | legal | not clearly stated | illegal | "Compassionate Use Act for Medical Cannabis; providing for protections for the medical use of cannabis..."[130] |
||
misdemeanor on first offense, felony on subsequent offenses[131] | CBD oil | qualified patients may have 12 plants and three oz of leaves or flowers.[130] | felony | First possession a misdemeanor fine up to $1,000 or imprisonment up to 6 months, or both. Second offense a Class I felony fine up to $10,000 or imprisonment up to 3.5 years, or both. |
||
misdemeanor | CBD oil | not clearly stated | illegal | Being under the influence of marijuana is a misdemeanor up to 90 days in prison and fine up to $100. Possession three ounces or less a misdemeanor up to 1 year in prison and fine up to $1000.[132] |
||
State | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes |
Federal district
District | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
legal (no commercial sales)[133] | legal (commercial sales) | legal to carry up to 2 oz. (56.7 grams) | legal to grow up to six plants (only three mature at a time) for recreational purposes; no provision for commercial recreational cultivation |
|
||
District | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes |
By inhabited territory
Territory | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
illegal | illegal | illegal | illegal | In 1999, the Territory established a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence for possession of any amount of any illegal drug, to explicitly include marijuana, even when medically prescribed in another jurisdiction.[135] |
||
legal | legal | legal | legal | Residents passed a ballot measure on November 4, 2014, that allows cannabis for medical use only.[136] In March 2019, the Legislature of Guam passed a bill (by a very close vote of 8-7) to legalize recreational cannabis. The Governor of Guam signed the bill into law on April 4, 2019 with immediate effect.[137] |
||
legal | legal | legal | legal | On September 21, 2018, Republican governor Ralph Torres signed a bill into law to legalize the recreational use of cannabis in the territory.[138][139] |
||
illegal | legal | medical use only | medical use only | On May 4, 2015, the governor of Puerto Rico signed an executive order legalizing medicinal marijuana in the U.S territory.[140] |
||
D | decriminalized | legal | medical use only | medical use only | Possession of up to an ounce was decriminalized in December 2014.[141] Medical use was legalized in January 2019.[142] |
|
Territory | Recreational | Medical | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes |
By Tribal Nation
Reservation | Possession | Sale | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe (South Dakota) |
legal[143] | Legal sales since January 1, 2016 | One single licensed grow site for the nation | In summer 2015, the tribal authorities voted 5–1 to legalize recreational cannabis, making them the first reservation to do so following the 2013 Cole Memorandum.[143] | ||
Suquamish Tribe (Washington state) |
legal | Legal sales since December 2015[144][145] | In September 2015, the tribe signed the nation's first tribe-state cannabis pact, under which the tribe would operate a cannabis retail store with regulations paralleling those of Washington state.[146] | |||
Squaxin Island Tribe (Washington state) |
legal | Legal sales since November 2015[147] | ||||
Reservation | Possession | Sale | Transportation | Cultivation | Notes |
See also
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