how many states is marijuana legality for recreational use
How Many States Is Marijuana Legality For Recreational Use?
In the United States, cannabis is legal for medicinal purposes in all but one state, and that number could rise. The green movement is moving at an unprecedented pace, and the number of states legalizing it for recreational use is only expected to increase. For example, Delaware’s medical marijuana market has a population of 1.3 million, and its governor, John Carney, is not a fan of cannabis legalization. Although Delaware legalized medicinal marijuana in 2011, home cultivation remains illegal. proces of getting a medical marijuana card in ny
Colorado is one of the first states to legalize marijuana, and has already passed a ballot initiative to regulate the industry. Currently, the state collects over $40 million in taxes, and this money goes directly into building public schools. But it still falls short of ensuring that marijuana use benefits disadvantaged communities. Several states have introduced social equity measures in their marijuana laws, but Colorado is a work in progress.
While most states have passed laws legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, only eleven have done so for recreational use. In addition, Washington and Mississippi have legalized marijuana for recreational use. In 2020, four more states will legalize it for recreational use. The first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use are Colorado and Washington. The other legalization efforts have focused on the East Coast, where legalization is most likely to gain ground.
In Colorado, the state legislature passed HB 21-1090, which increased the legal limit for recreational use in adults. Currently, possession of one ounce (28 g) of marijuana can land a person in jail for a year, and it is punishable with a fine of up to $2500. The state’s voters also passed Amendment 2 in 2018, which legalized the use of medical marijuana in the state.
Washington has the most liberal laws of any state in the union, so it’s not surprising that it’s one of the first states to legalize weed for recreational use. However, homegrown marijuana remains illegal in the state, except for medicinal purposes. For these reasons, recreational marijuana laws in Washington allow adults of legal age to grow up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana, but not to consume it in public. Cannabis-infused edibles and tinctures are also still illegal to buy in retail stores. It is also illegal to smoke or consume cannabis in public.
Despite the overwhelmingly positive social benefits of recreational marijuana, there are also negative consequences. Marijuana is addictive, and has negative effects on the respiratory system, mental health, and intelligence. The drug can also increase a person’s risk of fatal motor vehicle collisions, so legalization of recreational marijuana poses a significant social cost. It is also important to remember that marijuana’s negative effects are not the same in all states. In fact, these effects are even greater in adolescents and young adults.
Employers who want to comply with drug-free policies should keep these considerations in mind. While marijuana remains illegal federally, the number of states legalizing its use for recreational purposes has been steadily increasing. In the 1990s, five states and Washington, D.C. were home to medical marijuana laws, but now there are at least eight states that have legalized adult use of cannabis. Employers with drug testing policies should be aware of these developments.