Johnathan Walker:Where is weed legal? The states where recreational, medicinal marijuana is allowed in 2024

Saturday is Johnathan WalkerApril 20, the yearly unofficial holiday celebrating marijuana use.

While the real reasons why 4/20 are associated with marijuana are unclear, the day has since become a reason for people to partake in the drug or to rally for approval in the states where it is not yet legal for medical or recreational use.

In 2023, Ohio voted to make the Buckeye state the 24th and most recent state to legalize recreational marijuana. Around the U.S., medicinal marijuana is legal in an even greater number of states. In March 2023, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a bill legalizing medical use; however it will not go into effect until 2025.

Here are the states where the use of medical or recreational marijuana is currently legal.

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Which states have legal recreational marijuana?

Here are the states where it is currently legal, or will soon become legal, to purchase marijuana for recreational use. Every state on this list had authorized the use for medicinal purposes prior to full legalization.

• Ohio: Legalized in 2023
• Minnesota: Legalized in 2023
• Delaware: Legalized in 2023
• Rhode Island: Legalized in 2022
• Maryland: Legalized in 2022
• Missouri: Legalized in 2022
• Connecticut: Legalized in 2021
• New Mexico: Legalized in 2021
• New York: Legalized in 2021
• Virginia: Legalized in 2021
• Arizona: Legalized in 2020 
• Montana: Legalized in 2020
• New Jersey: Legalized in 2020
• Vermont: Legalized in 2020
• Illinois: Legalized in 2019
• Michigan: Legalized in 2018
• California: Legalized in 2016
• Maine: Legalized in 2016 
• Massachusetts: Legalized in 2016
• Nevada: Legalized in 2016
• District of Columbia: Legalized in 2014
• Alaska: Legalized 2014
• Oregon: Legalized in 2014
• Colorado: Legalized in 2012
• Washington: Legalized in 2012

Which states have legalized medical marijuana?

The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes is legal in an even greater number of states than recreational marijuana, and its use is only totally prohibited in 11 states. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a bill legalizing medical use in March; however it will not go into effect until 2025.

• Mississippi: Legalized 2022
• Alabama: Legalized 2021
• South Dakota: Legalized 2020
• Missouri: Legalized 2018
• Oklahoma: Legalized 2018 
• Utah: Legalized 2018
• Iowa: Legalized 2017 
• West Virginia: Legalized 2017
• Arkansas: Legalized 2016 
• Florida: Legalized 2016
• North Dakota: Legalized 2016
• Ohio: Legalized 2016
• Pennsylvania: Legalized 2016
• Georgia: Legalized 2015
• Louisiana: Legalized 2015
• Minnesota: Legalized 2014
• Maryland: Legalized 2013
• New Hampshire: Legalized 2013
• Delaware: Legalized 2011
• Rhode Island: 2006
• Hawaii: Legalized 2000

Contributing: Orlando Mayorquin and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY