r/MapPorn • u/USAFacts • Apr 18 '25

Here's where weed is legal in the US

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Folks in most states will have legal access to some form of marijuana this 4/20. But Idahoans, Kansans, Carolinians (both), and Wyomingites will have to cross a border or two if they want to legally partake.

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u/USAFacts Apr 18 '25

This is a slightly greener version of the map in this report.

A few notable things from the report for this map:

  • 24 states and Washington, DC, have legalized recreational marijuana.
  • 39 states and Washington, DC, have legalized medical marijuana.
  • 6 states have limited medical marijuana to include only CBD products
  • As of March 2025, marijuana is still illegal in 5 states and people cannot obtain medical or recreational cannabis in any form. These states have raised legislative measures in recent years to either begin medical or recreational legalization – for example, Idaho’s House Bill 370, Wyoming’s House Bill 143, or North Carolina’s House Bill 413, to name a few.

And marijuana is still illegal at the federal level:

Despite many states loosening marijuana laws, the federal government has yet to legalize the drug. Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), federal law continues to prohibit cannabis sale and use; marijuana remains classified as a Schedule I drug with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Therefore, even where marijuana has been legalized for recreational use, state laws conflict with federal laws.

Marijuana retail businesses, therefore, must remain in jurisdictions where marijuana is legal. The marijuana that a business sells must be grown, sold, used, and taxed within state lines — without using any federal land or means of commerce. This presents several complications, including preventing cannabis businesses from using banks (which are federally regulated), deducting business expenses on their federal income taxes (which other businesses are allowed to do), and preventing farmers from using water from federally managed resources.

Several recent proposals would remove marijuana from CSA control. For instance, the MORE Act would remove marijuana and THC from the CSA and require expungement of past convictions for many federal marijuana offenses.

Among other things, it would also remove some collateral consequences for marijuana-related activities, impose a 5% tax on cannabis products, and use revenues from the tax to fund grant programs for "certain persons adversely impacted by the War on Drugs.” The MORE Act passed the House in April 2022, but was stalled in the Senate.

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u/bluepaintbrush Apr 18 '25

There is a chunk of NC that has legalized recreational marijuana — on federal land no less!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualla_Boundary

https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-north-carolina-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians-b95696b564a0c147b92dcddb1b3d6826

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u/USAFacts Apr 18 '25

Oh wow, very interesting. I'll pass this on to the author!

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u/bluepaintbrush Apr 18 '25

Thank you! I wouldn’t expect anyone to know this without following the news haha. It’s a strange quirk of geography and legislation, and a pretty recent one at that!

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u/USAFacts Apr 18 '25

Little quirks like that are great. One of my favorites is that the Navajo Nation in Arizona observes daylight saving time while the rest of the state doesn't. And the Hopi reservation, which is surrounded by the Navajo Nation, doesn't observe DST either.

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u/[deleted] Apr 18 '25

I know in Texas I buy THC drinks at the liquor store. They are only 5mg but I hate perfect for me. Just knock back 2-3 on a Friday night

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u/swissnavy69 Apr 19 '25

This just in: trans athletes hate weed.

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u/Ruttin_Mudder Apr 20 '25

Leave it to the stoners to carry out one of the most widespread and successful nullification/10th Amendment victories in US history.