Cannabis legality, by state.
Without the legalese.
Recreational, medical, decriminalized, or illegal — the answer for your state in plain English. Possession caps, home-grow limits, public-use rules, and reciprocity for visitors. Updated the day a law moves.
Free forever. State-specific updates every Friday.
The four buckets
Every state lands in one of four buckets.
The bucket sets the rules. The fine print sets the fines.
Recreational legal — 24 states + DC
Adults 21+ can buy and possess cannabis at licensed dispensaries. Possession caps, home-grow limits, and public-use rules vary widely. Reciprocity rules differ for visitors.
Medical only — 14 states
Patients with a qualifying condition and a state medical card can purchase. Conditions, fees, and telehealth rules differ by state. We track every program in our weekly brief.
Decriminalized but not legal — 7 states
Possession of small amounts is a civil infraction or low-level offense, but no legal market exists. Carrying still risks a fine; selling is still a felony in most.
Fully illegal — 5 states
Possession remains a misdemeanor or felony. Some have CBD-only programs. Reciprocity does not apply — out-of-state medical cards are not honored.
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State snapshots
Six states, side by side.
Subscribe to get the full 50-state guide — possession caps, home-grow rules, and reciprocity flags — in your inbox.
California
Recreational legal
- Possession
- 1 oz flower / 8 g concentrate (adult 21+)
- Home grow
- Up to 6 plants per residence
- Public use
- Banned — fines for smoking in public
- Reciprocity
- No — but adults 21+ don't need a card to buy rec
New York
Recreational legal
- Possession
- 3 oz flower / 24 g concentrate
- Home grow
- 6 plants per adult / 12 per household (medical only until 2026)
- Public use
- Allowed where tobacco is allowed (with exceptions)
- Reciprocity
- No formal reciprocity, but rec is open to all 21+
Florida
Medical only
- Possession
- 70-day supply per physician order
- Home grow
- Not permitted
- Public use
- Banned — patients must consume privately
- Reciprocity
- No — non-FL cards are not honored
Texas
Medical only (Compassionate Use)
- Possession
- Limited to low-THC products from licensed dispensaries
- Home grow
- Not permitted
- Public use
- Banned
- Reciprocity
- No — TCUP is the only legal channel
North Carolina
Fully illegal (CBD-only program)
- Possession
- Up to 0.5 oz: misdemeanor; over 1.5 oz: felony
- Home grow
- Not permitted
- Public use
- Banned
- Reciprocity
- No — out-of-state cards not honored
Ohio
Recreational legal (since Dec 2023)
- Possession
- 2.5 oz flower / 15 g extract (adult 21+)
- Home grow
- 6 plants per adult / 12 per household
- Public use
- Banned in public — private property only
- Reciprocity
- Medical reciprocity for many out-of-state cards
State law moves quarterly. Numbers above were refreshed for the 2026 legislative session. Subscribe for change alerts the day they happen.
The traps
Four ways legal-state consumers still get charged.
Even in fully legal states, a few defaults still surprise people. These are the ones we get the most reader questions about.
Driving across state lines
Cannabis is federally illegal. Crossing into a no-rec state with product can be a felony — interstate transport is the single biggest legal trap for legal-state consumers.
Public consumption rules
Many legal-rec states still ban public smoking — same penalties as alcohol open-container in some, but as much as a misdemeanor in others. Consumption lounges are a third option in 4 states.
Employment protections
22 states protect medical patients from termination over off-duty cannabis use. Recreational protections are weaker — most legal-rec states still allow employer drug testing.
Laws change quarterly
OH, MN, DE, RI all flipped to recreational since 2022. PA, NH, VA all have active 2026 bills. The state-by-state map you remember from 2023 is already wrong in five places.
Get the full 50-state legality guide.
Plus weekly alerts the day a state flips, expands, or reins in its program — so you don't find out at the dispensary counter.
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