Updates on marijuana legalization by state in the United States

Ellesmere Zhu

2FIRSTS reported on bills relating to marijuana during the midterm elections. With Maryland and Missouri on board, the camp of legalized recreational marijuana now has 21 states, as shown in the map below.

According to 2FIRSTS, the push to legalize marijuana is mainly led by liberal and diversity advocating Democrats, and the number of red and blue states that have legalized recreational marijuana today is 4:17. Therefore, it is foreseeable that more states will gradually begin the process of marijuana reform legislation, with blue states taking the lead and red states following suit.

Cannabis stocks saw a collective rise last Monday, the second trading day on Biden’s approval of landmark marijuana research legislation.

According to a Dec. 13 report by Cannabis Business Times, the red and blue parties within the New Hampshire House of Representatives have agreed that they will collaborate to push the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state. In fact, the state House has repeatedly supported adult-use recreational marijuana - most recently approving legislation in March that would have allowed state-run liquor stores to sell marijuana - but the legislation was not passed in the Senate.

New Hampshire State Capitol | Source: Adobe Stock

New Hampshire is a deep blue state that voted for Democrat candidate in the past 4 presidential elections, while the governor, Republican Chiris Sununu, according to Cannabis Business Times, may impede the process of marijuana reform.

Kansas, a deep red state, is leaning too. Currently both medical and recreational marijuana is illegal in Kansas, but Republican Rob Olson, Olathe senator and chairman of the 2022 Medical Marijuana Select Committee, said at a Dec. 9 committee meeting that he plans to introduce medical marijuana legislation in the Senate at the start of the 2023 legislative session.

Kansas State Flag | Source: Adobe Stock

Please stay tuned for more updates.