Where weed is legal — state by state.
Cannabis law in the U.S. is a patchwork, and it moves fast. Here's where every state and D.C. stands in 2026 — what's legal, who can buy, and how much you can carry. Pick a state for the details.
- Recreational & medical25
- Medical only14
- CBD / low-THC6
- Fully illegal6
Recreational & medical
Adults 21+ can buy and possess; a medical program runs alongside. 25 states
Alaska
One of the earliest legal states, with home cultivation protected and a mature retail market.
Arizona
Adult-use sales launched fast after Prop 207, with most medical dispensaries converting to dual licenses.
California
The largest legal market in the country, though high taxes keep a stubborn illicit market alive.
Colorado
Alongside Washington, the first state to legalize adult use, with a deep and competitive retail scene.
Connecticut
Adult-use retail opened in 2023 with an equity-focused licensing structure.
Delaware
Legalized through the legislature; retail rollout has trailed the possession law.
Illinois
The first state to legalize adult-use sales by legislation rather than ballot, with a large licensed market.
Maine
A mature adult-use market with strong support for small and caregiver-scale growers.
Maryland
Voters approved adult use overwhelmingly, with retail sales beginning in mid-2023.
Massachusetts
The first East Coast state to open adult-use retail, with a broad licensed market.
Michigan
One of the largest and lowest-priced legal markets, with generous home-grow rules.
Minnesota
Legalized possession and home grow ahead of a phased retail rollout through a new regulatory office.
Missouri
Converted quickly from medical to adult use, with existing dispensaries flipping to recreational sales.
Montana
Adult-use sales launched in 2022, though some counties opted out of allowing retail.
Nevada
A tourism-heavy market anchored by Las Vegas, with consumption lounges now licensed.
New Jersey
A large adult-use market that opened in 2022; home cultivation is still not permitted.
New Mexico
Fast retail rollout with low barriers to licensing, fueling strong border-town sales.
New York
Legalized early but slow to license; the legal market is now expanding against a large gray market.
Ohio
Voters approved adult use in 2023; retail sales began in 2024 through existing medical operators.
Oregon
A mature, oversupplied market known for low prices and strong craft cultivation.
Rhode Island
Legalized by the legislature with retail and home cultivation both permitted.
Vermont
The first state to legalize possession by legislation; licensed retail opened in 2022.
Virginia
Possession and home grow are legal, but a licensed adult-use retail market has yet to launch.
Washington
A first-mover legal state with a tightly regulated retail system and no recreational home cultivation.
Washington, D.C.
Possession and home grow are legal, but a congressional rider blocks the District from licensing retail sales.
Medical only
Legal for registered patients with a qualifying condition. 14 states
Alabama
A medical program exists on paper, but licensing fights have kept dispensaries from opening to patients in practice.
Arkansas
A functioning medical-only market; a recreational ballot measure has failed at the polls.
Florida
A large, vertically integrated medical market; a 2024 recreational amendment fell short of the 60% threshold.
Hawaii
One of the oldest medical programs; full adult-use legalization has repeatedly stalled in the legislature.
Kentucky
A medical program signed into law with sales phasing in; no smokable flower at launch.
Louisiana
Medical-only, with flower added later; personal possession of small amounts is decriminalized.
Mississippi
A voter-driven medical program restored by the legislature after a court struck the original initiative.
New Hampshire
Medical-only and surrounded by legal states; adult-use bills keep clearing the House but stalling.
North Dakota
Medical-only; voters have rejected adult-use legalization more than once at the ballot box.
Oklahoma
One of the most accessible medical markets in the country, with thousands of licensed dispensaries.
Pennsylvania
A large medical market hemmed in by legal neighbors; adult-use bills remain stuck in the legislature.
South Dakota
Voters approved medical use; an adult-use measure passed but was overturned by the courts.
Utah
A regulated medical program with limited pharmacies and no smokable flower.
West Virginia
Medical-only, with a slow rollout of dispensaries across the state.
CBD / low-THC only
Restricted to low-THC oil or CBD; no flower or adult-use sales. 6 states
Georgia
Only low-THC oil (up to 5% THC) is permitted for registered patients; there is no smokable flower market.
Indiana
Only low-THC CBD is legal; there is no medical cannabis program and adult use remains prohibited.
Iowa
A restrictive medical-CBD program caps THC per purchase; there is no flower and no adult-use market.
North Carolina
No statewide medical program; the Eastern Band of Cherokee operate the only legal dispensary in the state.
Tennessee
Only low-THC CBD oil is permitted for narrow conditions; there is no dispensary system.
Texas
The Compassionate Use Program is tightly capped on THC; recreational cannabis remains fully illegal.
Fully illegal
No legal medical or adult-use market. 6 states
Idaho
One of the strictest states: no medical program, no CBD carve-out beyond zero-THC products.
Kansas
No medical or adult-use program; only zero-THC CBD is tolerated.
Nebraska
Possession of small amounts is a civil infraction, but there is no legal medical or retail market.
South Carolina
No operational medical or adult-use program; a narrow medical bill has repeatedly failed in the House.
Wisconsin
No medical or adult-use program; surrounded by legal states, residents often cross the border to buy.
Wyoming
Among the strictest states, with no medical program and only zero-THC CBD allowed.
Federal status
Medical marijuana moved to Schedule III in April 2026; adult-use cannabis is still Schedule I. What changed and what didn't.
Medical cannabis
How medical programs actually work: cards, qualifying conditions, and what they get you.
Traveling with cannabis
Crossing state lines, flying, and the rules people get wrong most often.