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Cannabis Legality by US State

Cannabis Legality by US State

Regulatory data last verified: 2026-03-31. Cannabis regulations change frequently. Verify current requirements with your state's regulatory agency before making business decisions.

  • Recreational: 26 jurisdictions
  • Medical: 13 jurisdictions
  • Cbd Only: 7 jurisdictions
  • Decriminalized: 2 jurisdictions
  • Illegal: 3 jurisdictions

Recreational (Adult-Use) States

| State | Abbr | Rec Sales | Med Sales | Tracking | |-------|------|-----------|-----------|----------| | Alaska | AK | 2016-10-29 | 1999-03-04 | metrc | | Arizona | AZ | 2021-01-22 | 2012-12-06 | metrc | | California | CA | 2018-01-01 | 2004-01-01 | metrc | | Colorado | CO | 2014-01-01 | 2001-06-01 | metrc | | Connecticut | CT | 2023-01-10 | 2014-08-01 | metrc | | Delaware | DE | N/A | 2015-06-26 | metrc | | District of Columbia | DC | N/A | 2013-07-29 | metrc | | Hawaii | HI | N/A | 2017-08-08 | biotrack | | Illinois | IL | 2020-01-01 | 2015-11-09 | metrc | | Maine | ME | 2020-10-09 | 2010-04-02 | metrc | | Maryland | MD | 2023-07-01 | 2017-12-01 | metrc | | Massachusetts | MA | 2018-11-20 | 2015-06-24 | metrc | | Michigan | MI | 2019-12-01 | 2009-04-04 | metrc | | Minnesota | MN | 2025-01-01 | 2015-07-01 | none | | Missouri | MO | 2023-02-03 | 2020-10-17 | metrc | | Montana | MT | 2022-01-01 | 2009-11-02 | metrc | | Nevada | NV | 2017-07-01 | 2015-07-31 | metrc | | New Jersey | NJ | 2022-04-21 | 2012-12-06 | metrc | | New Mexico | NM | 2022-04-01 | 2009-10-01 | biotrack | | New York | NY | 2022-12-29 | 2016-01-07 | metrc | | Ohio | OH | 2024-08-06 | 2019-01-16 | metrc | | Oregon | OR | 2015-10-01 | 2014-03-01 | metrc | | Rhode Island | RI | 2022-12-01 | 2013-04-19 | metrc | | Vermont | VT | 2022-10-01 | 2004-07-01 | none | | Virginia | VA | N/A | 2020-10-17 | metrc | | Washington | WA | 2014-07-08 | 1999-01-01 | leaf_data |

Medical-Only States

| State | Abbr | Rec Sales | Med Sales | Tracking | |-------|------|-----------|-----------|----------| | Alabama | AL | N/A | N/A | metrc | | Arkansas | AR | N/A | 2019-05-10 | biotrack | | Florida | FL | N/A | 2017-01-03 | biotrack | | Kentucky | KY | N/A | N/A | metrc | | Louisiana | LA | N/A | 2019-08-06 | metrc | | Mississippi | MS | N/A | 2023-02-02 | metrc | | New Hampshire | NH | N/A | 2016-04-30 | biotrack | | North Dakota | ND | N/A | 2019-03-01 | biotrack | | Oklahoma | OK | N/A | 2018-10-25 | metrc | | Pennsylvania | PA | N/A | 2018-02-15 | state_built | | South Dakota | SD | N/A | 2022-07-01 | biotrack | | Utah | UT | N/A | 2020-03-02 | state_built | | West Virginia | WV | N/A | 2024-01-10 | metrc |

CBD-Only / Limited Access States

| State | Abbr | Rec Sales | Med Sales | Tracking | |-------|------|-----------|-----------|----------| | Georgia | GA | N/A | N/A | none | | Indiana | IN | N/A | N/A | none | | Iowa | IA | N/A | N/A | none | | Tennessee | TN | N/A | N/A | none | | Texas | TX | N/A | N/A | none | | Wisconsin | WI | N/A | N/A | none | | Wyoming | WY | N/A | N/A | none |

Decriminalized States

| State | Abbr | Rec Sales | Med Sales | Tracking | |-------|------|-----------|-----------|----------| | Nebraska | NE | N/A | N/A | na | | North Carolina | NC | N/A | N/A | na |

Fully Illegal States

| State | Abbr | Rec Sales | Med Sales | Tracking | |-------|------|-----------|-----------|----------| | Idaho | ID | N/A | N/A | na | | Kansas | KS | N/A | N/A | na | | South Carolina | SC | N/A | N/A | na |

Legal Status Categories

Understanding the five tiers of cannabis legalization:

Recreational (Adult-Use)

Legal for adult use (21+) with regulated sales and taxation. These states have licensed dispensaries selling cannabis products to any adult with valid ID. All recreational states also maintain medical programs, typically with expanded product access, higher purchase limits, and tax benefits for qualified patients.

Medical

Legal for qualified patients holding a state-issued medical cannabis card. Requires a physician recommendation or certification for a qualifying medical condition. Products are sold through licensed dispensaries. No adult-use (recreational) sales permitted.

CBD-Only (Limited Access)

Permits access to low-THC, high-CBD products only -- typically below 0.3-0.5% THC. These are NOT comprehensive medical cannabis programs. Products are often limited to CBD oils and may only be available for specific conditions like intractable epilepsy.

Decriminalized

Possession of small amounts (typically under 1 oz) is a civil infraction rather than a criminal offense -- similar to a traffic ticket. However, there are NO legal sales, NO licensed dispensaries, and NO regulated market. Production and distribution remain illegal.

Illegal

Possession of any amount is a criminal offense. No legal cannabis program of any kind. As of 2026, only Idaho, Kansas, and South Carolina maintain full prohibition.

Hemp & CBD — Separate Regulatory Track

Cannabis legality under state cannabis frameworks (above) and hemp legality under the federal Farm Bill are separate regulatory tracks. Hemp-derived products -- including CBD, hemp-derived delta-9 THC gummies/beverages, and novel cannabinoids like delta-8, delta-10, HHC, and THCP -- are governed by federal hemp law (2018 Farm Bill, amended by P.L. 119-37 signed 2025-11-12, effective 2026-11-12), supplemented by state-by-state overlays. A product that is federally "hemp" is not necessarily legal in every state, and a product sold in a state with a strict cannabis framework may still be illegal under that state's hemp rules.

For the full hemp and CBD regulatory landscape -- including federal legislation status, per-compound legal status for delta-8/delta-9 (hemp-derived)/delta-10/HHC/THCP, CBD product categories and FDA stance, state ban lists, and hemp vs cannabis market dynamics -- see hemp-cbd.md.

Seed-to-Sale Tracking Systems

Seed-to-sale tracking systems are state-mandated software platforms that monitor cannabis products from cultivation through processing, testing, and final retail sale. They serve as the backbone of regulatory compliance, enabling states to prevent diversion to the illegal market and ensure tax collection.

Metrc (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance)

The most widely used system, deployed in approximately 50% of legal states. Metrc uses RFID tag-based tracking where every plant, harvest batch, and package receives a unique identifier. Licensed businesses interact with Metrc through a web portal and mandatory API integration. Originally developed by Franwell, Metrc is now operated by BT Government, Inc. following the merger with BioTrack's parent company in August 2025. States using Metrc include California, Colorado, Oregon, Michigan, Massachusetts, and many others.

BioTrack (BioTrack THC)

The second most common system, used by approximately 24% of states. BioTrack is a cloud-based platform providing seed-to-sale tracking along with point-of-sale and inventory management. Following the BT Government merger in August 2025, BioTrack focuses on commercial software solutions while Metrc handles state regulatory contracts. Several states have transitioned or are transitioning from BioTrack to Metrc (including Illinois and New York).

Leaf Data Systems

Washington state's tracking system, replacing BioTrack in 2017. Leaf Data Systems is state-owned and operated by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. It provides similar seed-to-sale tracking functionality but is unique in being government-operated rather than contracted to a private vendor.

State-Built Systems

Some states operate their own proprietary tracking systems rather than contracting with Metrc or BioTrack. Pennsylvania uses a state-built system for its medical program, as does Utah. These systems serve the same regulatory purpose but may have different technical requirements for licensee integration.

No Requirement

Some legal states do not mandate a specific seed-to-sale tracking system, leaving compliance tracking to individual licensees or using other regulatory mechanisms. This is more common in newer programs that are still developing their regulatory infrastructure.

Using This Data

Query the states database for specific information:

# Full profile for a single state
python query.py state CA

# List all states with a specific legal status
python query.py states --status recreational

# Compare two states side-by-side (limits, licensing, tracking)
python query.py compare CA CO

# Get purchase limits for a state
python query.py limits CA

# Get licensing structure
python query.py licenses CA

# JSON output for programmatic use
python query.py state OR --json

Quarterly Review

This data should be reviewed quarterly to catch regulatory changes. Cannabis law evolves rapidly -- multiple states update rules each legislative session. Key indicators of potential staleness:

  • States with pending_changes have known upcoming regulatory modifications
  • If last_verified_date is more than 90 days old, treat the data as potentially stale
  • Track state legislative sessions (typically January-June) for new bills affecting cannabis
  • Monitor Metrc/BioTrack announcements for tracking system transitions

When in doubt, verify with the state's regulatory agency directly. Links are available via python query.py state <ST> (agency_url field).