The unofficial marijuana holiday is on April 20, and in more than half of the U.S., the purchase and consumption of the psychoactive drug is legal.
Using marijuana both recreationally and for medical reasons is legal in Washington since 2012, one of the first states — along with Colorado — to decriminalize the drug.
While two dozen states have legalized recreational marijuana since 2012, the drug remains illegal at the federal level and a Schedule I drug, the highest classification that also applies to heroin and ecstasy, under the Drug Enforcement Administration.
To avoid future frustrations — or worse — here’s what to know about traveling with pot.
When did marijuana become legal in Washington?
In 1996, California passed the Compassionate Use Act, which legalized medical marijuana in the state. More states eventually followed, but it wasn’t until 2012 that two states legalized weed for recreational purchase and consumption − Colorado and Washington. Previously, Washington state had legalized medical marijuana in 1998.
Can I travel with marijuana on a flight?
Californians planning to pack marijuana for a trip that involves a flight should keep in mind that marijuana and certain cannabis-infused products are illegal under federal law, according to the TSA.
Transportation Security Administration officers who discover an item that may violate the law will refer the matter to law enforcement, Lorie Dankers, TSA spokesperson, said in an email to The Desert Sun. A passenger’s originating and destination airports are not taken into account, and it would be up to law enforcement officials to determine what steps need to be taken next, she said.
TSA’s response to the discovery of marijuana is the same across every state and airport, “regardless of whether marijuana has been or is going to be legalized,” Dankers said, adding that this covers medical marijuana.
Can I bring marijuana on a road trip?
Because marijuana is still illegal under federal law, people can’t take cannabis across state lines, according to the Department of Cannabis Control. It’s also illegal to drive or ride in a vehicle with an open container of cannabis. Instead, it should either be in a sealed package or container or in your car’s trunk.
When was marijuana first outlawed in the United States?
The first federal regulation of marijuana was passed in 1906, with the establishment of the Pure Food and Drug Act. This legislation required over-the-counter drugs containing cannabis to be labeled.
Just a few years later, in 1910, 29 states passed marijuana prohibitions. And in 1937, Congress passed the Marihuana Tax Act (an alternative spelling). The legislation didn’t criminalize marijuana but rather imposed punishable fines on people who didn’t pay necessary taxes, according to the Rockefeller Institute of Government. But in 1969, the Supreme Court overturned the act, as it was found to be a violation of the Fifth Amendment.
Marijuana wasn’t banned federally until 1970 with the passage of the Controlled Substances Act, which classified marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug.
Where is marijuana recreationally and medically legal?
According to DISA Global Solutions, marijuana is legal for medical and recreational purchase and consumption in the following states:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
Where is marijuana only medically legal?
According to DISA Global Solutions, marijuana is only legal for medical purchase and consumption in the following states:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Utah
- West Virginia
Where is marijuana fully illegal?
Marijuana is illegal for medicinal and recreational use in just four states: Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina, and Wyoming.
There are also some states where medical and recreational marijuana isn’t legalized, but is decriminalized. In Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia, products that contain both CBD and THC are legal, according to DISA Global Solutions.
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
