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Cannabis in America
The State of Weed: Marijuana Legalization State by State
**Last Updated February 3, 2017 **
In recent decades, marijuana legalization has continuously evolved in the United States, as opposition against the drug continues to wane amidst new research on the drug's effects and criticism of the U.S.'s handling of the "War on Drugs." Four states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and 25 total states have legalized marijuana for medical use.
In November, a total of nine states voted on marijuana legalization. California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada all voted to legalize recreational marijuana. Arizona voters shot down their legal pot ballot measure. In addition, Florida, Arkansas, and North Dakota voted to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, while Montana voters chose to expand the parameters of their existing medical marijuana program.
The map below displays each state's current marijuana legalization status, from illegal to full legalized recreational use, as of February 3, 2017.
The State of Weed Map
According to Gallup polls, one in eight U.S. adults say they smoke marijuana and 58 percent of Americans believe marijuana should be legal in the U.S. As cannabis initiatives continue to find traction and make their way onto ballots, understanding the intricacies of each state's marijuana laws will become increasingly important.
Patients who use medical marijuana will need to know things like whether or not they can travel with the drug and use it in other states, and in cities where the drug is decriminalized mere fractions of an ounce could make the difference between low fines or substantial jail time. The following slide show contains information on each states' marijuana laws in regards to possessing, selling, and cultivating weed, although please note that this is intended as a basic resource and does not include the entirety of provisions in any given state. This is the "State of Weed."
Go Directly to Your State:
AL | AK | AZ | AR | CA | CO | CT | DE | DC | FL | GA | HI | ID | IL | IN | IA | KS | KY | LA | ME | MD | MA | MI | MN | MS | MO | MT | NE | NV | NH | NJ | NM | NY | NC | ND | OH | OK | OR | PA | RI | SC | SD | TN | TX | UT | VT | VA | WA | WV | WI | WY
Image courtesy of Madeleine Deaton via Flickr
Marijuana Legalization Status: Medical
Possession: Marijuana is decriminalized in the state of Connecticut; therefore, an offender’s first or second offense of less than a half ounce is only considered a civil penalty and carries a $150 or $500 fine respectively. Possession of more than a half ounce carries possible prison sentences ranging from one to five years and $1,000-$2,000 fines for a first offense depending on the amount.
Sale/Cultivation: The cultivation, sale, delivery, or distribution of marijuana is a felony in Connecticut. Less than one kilogram carries seven years in prison and and/or a $25,000 fine. More than one kilogram carries the same potential maximum fine, but five to 20 years in prison.
Qualifying Medical Conditions Include: cachexia (wasting syndrome), cancer, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, sickle cell disease, terminal illnesses requiring end of life care, PTSD, Post Laminectomy Syndrome with Chronic Radiculopathy, severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and ulcerative colitis.
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Research and analysis conducted by Law Street’s Cannabis in America Team: Alexis Evans, Alec Siegel, Anneliese Mahoney, and Kevin Rizzo.
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