States with recreational dispensaries in the USA. Learn more.

What is recreational marijuana?

Adult-use cannabis, sometimes known as “recreational marijuana,” is legal marijuana sold to adults 21 and older in licensed shops. Smokable flower concentrates, edibles, and topicals are all available options.

Washington and Colorado are the first two states in the United States to legalize marijuana for adult use in 2012. Other states have since fallen in line. States with recreational marijuana also have authorized medicinal marijuana programs for individuals who meet specific criteria.

https://pixabay.com/photos/seedling-cannabis-marijuana-1062908/

Where is weed legal in the USA?

Alaska

In 2016, Alaska legalized marijuana that allows people above 21 to possess up to an ounce of the drug. Public places that will enable cannabis usage are uncommon, as they are in many other legal states. On the other hand, Alaska has emerged as a leader in the United States regarding smoking lounges, which are designated places close to dispensaries. Their clients can purchase and enjoy edibles and smoking items on-site.

Arizona

In 2021, Arizona made marijuana legal, allowing anybody to possess up to one ounce of flower and five grams of concentrates. The question of where to use it is a sticky one – all public consumption is illegal in the state. Arizona isn’t the only state with this problem, but it can be frustrating for visitors. Since it is one of the newest legalization states, the state’s cannabis culture is still forming.

South Dakota

The South Dakota State Legislature enacted a measure in 2019 that added Epidiolex to the list of banned substances in one area of the law. In that part, the measure also exempted CBD from the state’s classification of marijuana. The law did not exempt CBD from the definition of marijuana in other areas of state law. Due to this new disparity, the legal status of CBD in the state was uncertain for a year.

South Dakota decided in 2020 to legalize both medical and recreational cannabis. Thus, making it the first state to do both at the same time. State legislators have until April 2022 to enact cannabis regulations, including dispensary regulations.

California

Adults aged 21 and above are permitted to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Growing five or fewer marijuana plants per household is authorized for persons 21 and older.

Colorado

Adults above 21 are authorized to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Adults 21 and older can cultivate up to six plants per household, but only three can be mature at any given time.

Connecticut

Adults over 21 can have up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana in public and up to five ounces in private. Growing marijuana plants at home will be outlawed until July 2023. Registered medical marijuana users, on the other hand, will be able to grow their marijuana at home starting in the fall of 2021.

Illinois

Illinois adults aged 21 and above can possess up to 30 grams of marijuana (roughly 1.06 ounces). Non-Illinois residents aged 21 and up are limited to 15 grams of marijuana (nearly half an ounce). The registered medical marijuana patients can cultivate up to five plants five inches tall or taller per home.

Massachusetts

After voters approved the legislation in 2016, Massachusetts became the first state on the East Coast to legalize marijuana. In November 2018, the first marijuana dispensaries opened their doors to the public. Adults over 21 can buy up to one ounce of marijuana, but they can’t use it in public.

Montana

Montana voters will decide in 2021 whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana for adults aged 21 and up. The residents will be able to use marijuana beginning January 1, 2021. After a year, the state will begin accepting dispensary applications.

Nevada

On July 1, 2017, in Las Vegas, the Essence cannabis dispensary opened. In Nevada, residents and visitors aged 21 and up can purchase one ounce or one-eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates. However, to be eligible for a grower’s license in Nevada, people must live 25 miles away from the nearest dispensary.

New Mexico

In Longmont, Colorado, U.S., on December 19, 2019, a participant in a study on the effects of cannabis showed the marijuana blossoms he has grown in his backyard. After convening a special legislature session to iron out the issues, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state’s legalization measure in April. However, the law went into effect on June 29 that allows residents to own and consume marijuana.

New York

New York eventually authorized recreational marijuana on March 31, 2021, after two failed attempts to legalize adult-use cannabis. Although New Yorkers can now legally own and use cannabis, sales aren’t expected to start for at least a year.

Oregon

On April 8, 2014, Oregon’s First medical marijuana shop opened in Portland, Oregon. In 2015, Oregon legalized marijuana, and sales began on October 1 of that year.

Vermont

When Gov. Phil Scott signed a measure into law in January 2018, Vermont was the first state to approve marijuana through the legislature rather than a voter initiative. Adults in Vermont can carry up to one ounce of marijuana and grow up to two plants for recreational purposes.

Virginia

On July 1, most Virginia state legislators supported Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposal to legalize marijuana usage, possession, and cultivation, years earlier than the original legislation envisioned. The commercial cannabis sales won’t begin until January 1, 2024.

Washington, DC

In November 2014, residents of the nation’s capital overwhelmingly voted to legalize marijuana for adult usage. The bill went into effect in 2015, allowing anyone to have up to 2 ounces of marijuana in their possession.

https://pixabay.com/vectors/marijuana-drugs-cannabis-drug-hemp-2766322/

Conclusion

Medical as well as recreational marijuana usage is still illegal under federal law. Since cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Despite its categorization as a Schedule I substance, which means it has no recognized medical value and significant potential for addiction, marijuana’s medicinal benefits are hard to deny. In the future, more states are likely to legalize medicinal and recreational marijuana. More states are getting attracted by the potential for significant tax income from cannabis sales as public approval grows and the number of marijuana stocks proliferates.