what states are recreational marijuana legal
What States Are Recreational Marijuana Legal?
So, what states are recreational marijuana legal? First, let’s start with Delaware, which is heavily Democratic. The Democratic party controls the state legislature, but Gov. John Carney doesn’t support cannabis legalization. However, a bill to legalize recreational marijuana passed through a state House committee in March. Carney’s spokesperson said his position on marijuana legalization hasn’t changed. Moreover, Delaware legalized medicinal marijuana in 2011 but hasn’t yet legalized home cultivation. ny medical marijuana card online reviews
Arizona has been legal for medical marijuana since 2010 and is expected to legalize recreational marijuana in 2020. In addition, adults over 21 can own one ounce of flower or eight grams of THC concentrate. Additionally, they are allowed to grow up to six plants in a home. Although marijuana sales in Arizona aren’t yet legal, the state has been one of the fastest to legalize this market, as companies already operating in the medical marijuana market were given first crack at recreational customers. However, lawmakers are working to make the licensing system more complex and restrict participation by people with drug-related convictions.
The first state to legalize recreational marijuana was Colorado, which passed a ballot initiative in 2012. The state has yet to implement social equity measures. But it does have a program to distribute $40 million in tax revenue to help build public schools. While Colorado’s laws have yet to be finalized, the marijuana industry is mostly white and relatively undiversified. Although Colorado’s laws are still in a development stage, Governor Jared Polis signed a bill in 2017 to create a social equity program that will provide loans to underprivileged communities.
Meanwhile, some states are still debating the legalization of recreational marijuana. Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon have all passed legalization ballot measures in the recent years. And in 2020, North Carolina is likely to join the ranks of the states that have legalized marijuana. And that’s only the beginning of the process. If North Carolina and Vermont become the next states to legalize recreational marijuana, it’ll join three-quarters of the US.
Another state that passed a marijuana legalization law is South Dakota. This state is considered conservative in the United States. However, South Dakota voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2016, and the state’s Republican governor, Krisi Noem, contested the law. South Dakota’s Supreme Court struck down the amendment by a 4-1 margin, but will likely make its way to a state-legal market in 2022.
Meanwhile, Connecticut passed legislation to legalize recreational cannabis in 2021. A bill known as SB1201 will allow adults 21 and over to own up to an ounce of marijuana. Retail sales will start in the summer of 2022, though it may take a little longer. In the meantime, Connecticut is still evaluating the new law. The state has more marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks and McDonald’s combined. A major portion of the tax revenue from the new marijuana market will go to communities impacted by the War on Drugs.