Cannabis is still illegal at the federal level — it’s classified as a Schedule I drug, which puts it in the same category as heroin (yeah, seriously). But a lot has changed across the country. Most states have gone their own way, legalizing cannabis for medical use — and more recently, for recreational use too. These state-legal programs operate in a legal gray area, but as long as they’re well-regulated, the federal government mostly looks the other way.
As of September 2025, 40 states allow medical cannabis, and 24 have legalized it for adult (recreational) use. No new states have fully legalized recreational cannabis so far this year — but that could change soon.
Scroll down to see where your state stands on cannabis laws in 2025.
| STATE | Legal for Recreational Use? | Legal for Medical Use? | Decriminalized? |
| Alabama | No | Yes | No |
| Alaska | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Arizona | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Arkansas | No | Yes | No |
| California | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Delaware | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| District of Columbia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Florida | No | Yes | No |
| Georgia | No | CBD Oil Only | No |
| Hawaii | No | Yes | Yes |
| Idaho | No | No | No |
| Illinois | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Indiana | No | CBD Oil Only | No |
| Iowa | No | CBD Oil Only | No |
| Kansas | No | No | No |
| Kentucky | No | Yes | No |
| Louisiana | No | Yes | Yes |
| Maine | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maryland | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Michigan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minnesota | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mississippi | No | Yes | Yes |
| Missouri | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Montana | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nebraska | No | Yes | Yes |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Hampshire | No | Yes | Yes |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Mexico | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New York | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| North Dakota | No | Yes | Yes |
| Ohio | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Oklahoma | No | Yes | No |
| Oregon | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | No | Yes | No |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| South Carolina | No | No | No |
| South Dakota | No | Yes | No |
| Tennessee | No | CBD Oil Only | No |
| Texas | No | Yes | No |
| Utah | No | Yes | No |
| Vermont | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Washington | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| West Virginia | No | Yes | No |
| Wisconsin | No | CBD Oil Only | No |
| Wyoming | No | CBD Oil Only | No |
See our Glossary to learn more about the different legal statuses. **ADD LINK**
References & Additional Resources
- https://disa.com/marijuana-legality-by-state/
- https://norml.org/laws/
- https://recovered.org/marijuana/marijuana-legalization-by-state
- https://mjbizdaily.com/map-of-us-marijuana-legalization-by-state/
- https://www.ncsl.org/civil-and-criminal-justice/cannabis-overview
- https://www.ncsl.org/health/state-medical-cannabis-laws
- https://covercannabis.com/blog/where-is-marijuana-legal/
- https://www.leafly.com/learn/legalization
