Where Is Medical Marijuana Legal?
American public perception of cannabis has radically changed in the last 50 years.
Just 50 years ago, in 1969, only 12% of Americans thought that cannabis should be made legal. 50 years later in 2019, 67% of Americans thought that marijuana should be legalized.
This is really a radical shift in perspective over a relatively short period of time. As more and more states have legalized medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, the movement seems to only be beginning. Not to mention Hemp and CBD is now completely legal in the United States.
Where is medical marijuana legal? Where is recreational marijuana legal? Let’s take a look at what you need to know.
Where Is Medical Marijuana Legal?
Medical marijuana or medical cannabis is cannabis that is recommended to patients by physicians for some type of medical ailment they are suffering from. In recent years, a number of countries have legalized the medicinal use of marijuana. Some of these countries include:
- Australia
- Canada
- Columbia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Czech Republic
- Cyprus
- Croatia
- Germany
- Finland
- Greece
- Italy
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Jamaica
- Lebanon
- Malta
- North Macedonia
- The Netherlands
- Poland
- Peru
- New Zealand
- Sri Lanka
- Portugal
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Thailand
In other countries, certain isolated cannabinoid drugs are allowed but otherwise, the use of medicinal marijuana is restricted. You can find the most relaxed policies in countries such as the Netherlands, which has had cannabis coffee shops for decades, Uruguay, and Canada. In other countries, the law requires that there is a limit to the THC amount in medicinal marijuana, Similar to the 0.3% THC limit on Hemp in the United States.
In the United States, there are some states where medical marijuana is legalized and some states where cannabis is fully legalized for adults, and others where cannabis is still illegal for any purpose.
There are 35 states in the United States that allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. On top of this, the District of Columbia has legalized medical marijuana, as well as 4 out of 5 of the permanently inhabited US territories. These states and other regions that have legalized medical marijuana in the United States are:
- West Virginia
- Vermont
- Washington
- Utah
- Rhode Island
- US Virgin Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Oklahoma
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Ohio
- New York
- North Dakota
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New Hampshire
- Montana
- Nevada
- Missouri
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Maine
- Illinois
- Guam
- Hawaii
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Delaware
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- California
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Alaska
Additionally, there are more states that don’t allow full use of high THC medical marijuana, but you have more restrictive laws that allow the use of low THC cannabis, many of which are just a CBD program. These states include:
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Texas
- Wisconsin
- Virginia
As you can see, the list of states that allows the use of medical marijuana is growing quite large. At this point, there are fewer states that don’t allow using cannabis medicinally than those that do allow it.
Looking toward the future, there are a number of states that are possible contenders for future legal medical marijuana legislation.
Some of the states that looks promising as far as legalizing medical marijuana goes are Alabama, Kentucky, and North Carolina and South Carolina.
Where Is Recreational Marijuana Legal?
There are a number of countries where recreational marijuana is legal. These are:
- Canada
- South Africa
- Uruguay
- Georgia
- Some US States, territories, and the District of Colombia
- Australian Capital Territory in Australia
The movement for the legalization of marijuana has truly come a long way in the last decade or so. Out of the states that allow the medicinal use of marijuana, 15 of these, plus Washington DC, have fully legalized recreational marijuana for use by adults. These states are:
- Maine
- Montana
- New Jersey
- Nevada
- Colorado
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- Washington
- Oregon
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
There is always chatter about which states will be next on the list to legalized marijuana. Some people believe that Connecticut will legalize cannabis in 2021 after a number of attempts to do so in the past. New Mexico is another state where there have been past attempts to enact full legalization that have failed but a number of top legislators are optimistic about making it happen in 2021.
There is some hope that the state of New York will enact a policy change in 2021. This seems more optimistic after New Jersey voters approved legislation last November.
Rhode Island is another state where there is significant interest in legalizing marijuana this year. There have been disagreements in the state about what a legal market would look like there, but top lawmakers have made it clear that it’s on the table.
Finally, Ohio is another state that is likely to legalize recreational marijuana. Prior to this going into effect, it is still a good idea to do your research into how to obtain an Ohio medical marijuana card.
In a few other states, there is a possible pathway to legalization but the remaining opposition from top leaders makes it less likely. These include Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Are you thinking about getting a job in the cannabis industry? Check out the top ten careers in Cannabis to pay attention to in 2021.
With Both Medical and Recreational Cannabis Increasingly Gaining Legal Status Across the US, Cannabis Industry Jobs Are a Good Bet!
The movement for the legalization of cannabis in the United States has truly gained a lot of momentum over the last few decades. Once an incredibly stigmatized substance, more and more citizens and medical professional have been learning about the benefits of using cannabis for medicinal purposes.
Now that you know the answer to “where’s medical marijuana legal?” this can help you to understand where there might be jobs in the cannabis industry. Understanding which states might be next to legalize recreation\al marijuana and medical marijuana can also help you make decisions about your future job prospects. Being a first adopter in a place where marijuana is newly legalized can be a lucrative endeavor.
Are you looking for cannabis industry jobs? If so, check out our job board today!
