So far in 2016, there have already been more than fifty legislative initiatives around the United States geared towards legalizing medical or recreational cannabis. The regions that have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana are Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state, and Washington, D.C., although it is illegal to buy marijuana in D.C.
In addition to that, here are twenty more states that have legalized just medical marijuana: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. These state decisions have not changed federal cannabis policy. In fact, the Office of National Drug Control Policy writes that “these state marijuana laws do not change the fact that using marijuana continues to be an offense under federal law.”
In 2016, could see cannabis legalized for recreational use in ten more states, some of which are Connecticut, Hawaii, and Michigan. Seven more states considered legalization, but the bills did not pass or did not meet prerequisites. Cannabis might also be legalized medicinally in the following states: Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee.
The Marijuana Policy Project is supporting six of those state ballot initiatives. Also, the group wishes that the political climate will be in a position that will incline voters to vote for legalization.
“Presidential election years are the most important years for marijuana policy reform ballot issues since younger, more supportive voters show up in greater numbers for those elections,” communications manager at the MPP, Morgan Fox, said.
Also, fifteen states have also thought about laws that would decriminalize marijuana. However, six of those bills also died or did not meet prerequisites, the Marijuana Policy Project reports. However, that has nothing to do with legalization, Fox notes.
“Some states that have decriminalized marijuana are not even close to passing laws to regulate marijuana,” he added.
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