States Where Recreational Marijuana Use Is Legal

Eleven states have legalized  recreational marijuana use  in the United States. They are Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.  Washington, D.C., also allows the recreational use of marijuana.   They are among 30 states that allow the use of marijuana in some form; most others allow for use of the substance for medicinal purposes. The eleven states where recreational use is legal have the most expansive laws on the books.   Here are the states in which marijuana use is legal. They do not include states that have  decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana  or states that allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. It is also important to note that growing and selling marijuana is illegal under federal law, though that rule is not enforced by the U.S. attorney general. 1. Alaska Alaska became the third state to allow recreational marijuana use in February 2015. The legalization of marijuana in Alaska came by a ballot referendum in November 2014, when 53 percent of voters supported the move to allow use of the substance in private places. Smoking pot in public, however, is punishable by a modest fine of $100. Private use of marijuana in Alaska was first declared a right in 1975 when the state Supreme Court ruled that possessing small amounts of the substance was protected under the state constitutions guarantee of the right to privacy. Under Alaska state law,  adults 21 and older can carry up to an ounce of marijuana and possess six plants. 2. California California state lawmakers legalized the recreational use of marijuana with the passage of  Proposition 64 in November 2016, making it the largest state to legalize pot. The measure had the support of 57 percent of the legislature. Sale of marijuana became legal in 2018. Cannabis is now legal in the most populous state in the country, dramatically increasing the total potential size of the industry while establishing legal adult use markets across the entire US Pacific Coast given the legalized states of Washington and Oregon, stated New Frontier Data, which tracks the cannabis industry. 3. Colorado The ballot initiative in Colorado was called Amendment 64. The proposal passed in 2012 with support from 55.3 percent of voters in that state on Nov. 6, 2012. Colorado and Washington were  the first states to legalize recreational use of the substance. The amendment to the state constitution allows any resident over the age of 21 to possess up to an ounce, or 28.5 grams, of marijuana. Residents can also grow a small number of marijuana plants under the amendment. It remains illegal to smoke marijuana in public. Also, individuals are not able to sell the substance in Colorado. Marijuana is legal for sale only by state-licensed stores similar to those in many states that sell liquor. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, officially proclaimed marijuana legal in his state on Dec. 10, 2012. If the voters go out and pass something and they put it in the state constitution, by a significant margin, far be it from myself or any governor to overrule. I mean, this is why it’s a democracy, right? said Hickenlooper, who opposed the measure. 4. Illinois The states General Assembly passed the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act on May 31, 2019, and it was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on June 25. The law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. It allows Illinois residents at least 21 years old to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana. The limit is 15 grams for non-residents. 5. Maine Voters approved the Marijuana Legalization Act in a 2016 referendum. Individuals can possess up to 2.5 ounces (71 grams)  of cannabis, up to three mature plants, 12 immature plants and an unlimited number of seedlings. The state did not, however, begin issuing commercial licenses to sell the drug immediately because state lawmakers could not agree on how to regulate the industry. 6. Massachusetts Voters legalized recreational marijuana in November 2016. Individuals can possess up to one ounce of cannabis and grow up to six plants at their homes. Homes with more than one adult can grow up to 12 plants. Pot must be locked up and not visible in cars, and smoking while driving or in public is illegal. The states Cannabis Advisory Board continues to work on regulations but is reportedly planning to allow use of the substance in retail spaces, unlike most other states.   7. Michigan Voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana in November 2018. The Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act allows individuals to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana outside their home and 10 ounces inside their home. Up to 12 plants per household  are allowed. Licensed retail businesses can grow up to 150 plants for sale. 8. Nevada Voters passed Question 2 in the 2016 election, making recreational marijuana legal as of 2017. Adults ages 21 and older can possess up to one ounce of cannabis and up to an eighth ounce of concentrate. Public consumption is punishable by a $600 fine. The measure had support from 55 percent of voters. 9. Oregon Oregon became the fourth state to allow the recreational use of marijuana in July 2015. The legalization of marijuana in Oregon came by ballot initiative in November 2014, when 56 percent of voters supported the move.  Oregonians are allowed  to possess up to an ounce of marijuana in public and 8 ounces in their homes. They are also allowed to grow as many as four plants in their homes. 10. Vermont The state legislature passed HB511 in January 2018, which allows an individual to possess one ounce of cannabis and two plants. No commercial sales are allowed. The law took effect on July 1, 2018. 11. Washington The ballot measure approved in Washington was called Initiative 502. It was very similar to Colorados Amendment 64 in that it allows state residents ages 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana for recreational use. The measure passed in 2012 with the support of 55.7 percent of voters in the state. The Washington ballot initiative also put in place substantial tax rates imposed on growers, processors, and retailers. The tax rate on recreational marijuana at each stage is 25 percent, and the revenue goes to state coffers. District of Columbia Washington, D.C., legalized the recreational use of marijuana in February of 2015. The measure was supported by 65 percent of voters in a November 2014 ballot initiative. If youre in the nations capital, youre allowed to carry up to 2 ounces of marijuana and grow as many as six plants in your home. You can also gift a friend up to an ounce of pot.