Where is marijuana legal in America?

Cannabis, also known as marijuana, has been a controversial topic for decades, with many states legalizing its use for both medicinal and recreational purposes.

Two-thirds of Americans say the use of marijuana should be legal, reflecting a steady increase over the past decade, according to a Pew Research Center survey. The share of U.S. adults who oppose legalization has fallen from 52% in 2010 to 32% today.

Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (91%) say marijuana should be legal either for medical and recreational use (59%) or that it should be legal just for medical use (32%). Fewer than one-in-ten (8%) prefer to keep marijuana illegal in all circumstances, according to the survey, conducted on Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel.

According to the Mayo Clinic, medical cannabis can ease the symptoms of many severe health conditions. However, patients in most states with legal weed must be diagnosed with a qualifying condition to be eligible for medical marijuana. 

Depending on the state you reside in, you could qualify for treatment with the following conditions:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Epilepsy
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Glaucoma
• Multiple sclerosis
• Chronic pain

Medical Marijuana and Cancer

Cannabis can be particularly helpful for cancer patients and can alleviate a number of cancer symptoms and side effects from chemotherapy, such as:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain
• Neuropathy
• Appetite and weight loss

Read more and view a map of legal states at MJBizDaily.com.

States or territories where legal recreational marijuana has been approved:

Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Washington D.C., California, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada
Michigan, Vermont, Guam, Illinois, Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, New Mexico, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Missouri.

States with legal medical cannabis:

The states where medical marijuana is legal are: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.

In addition to being legal in these states in the U.S., medical marijuana has also been legalized worldwide in 13 countries, including Australia, Poland, Germany, Israel, Italy, and Greece. Alabama, Idaho, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wyoming are the only states that have not legalized medical marijuana.

States with decriminalized cannabis:

In some states, possession of small amounts of cannabis is considered a civil infraction rather than a criminal offense. These states include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.

States with pending legislation:

Several states have pending legislation to legalize cannabis for either medical or recreational use, including New York, New Mexico, and Virginia.

It’s important to note that even though cannabis is legal in certain states, it remains illegal under federal law. And also as laws and regulations vary from state to state, it’s important to be familiar with the laws in your state and abide by them.