Nearly a decade has passed since the voters of Colorado and Washington decided at the ballot box to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, becoming the first Americans to be able to celebrate “420” in relative peace.
In the time since, sixteen states and the District of Columbia have followed suit. New Jersey, which voted for legalization in 2020, authorized its first, legal sales of marijuana to adults 21 and older to begin on April 21— one day after the annual celebration of cannabis culture. All but a handful of 11 states have OK’d its medical use, and legalizing the substance at the federal level has picked up new momentum. The House recently passed a bill to decriminalize marijuana, and another bill that would legalize the plant is in the works in the Senate.
What states have legalized recreational marijuana?
The number of states that have legalized recreational use has risen steadily over the last 10 years. New York became the 15th state to legalize weed last year, but retail sales in the state aren’t expected to begin until late 2022 at the earliest. Every state on this list had authorized the use of cannabis for medical purposes prior to full legalization.
