Where is weed legal? The states where recreational, medicinal marijuana is allowed in 2024

Saturday is April 20, the yearly unofficial holiday celebrating marijuana use.

While the real reasons why 4/20 are associated with marijuana are unclear, the day has since become a reason for people to partake in the drug or to rally for approval in the states where it is not yet legal for medical or recreational use.

In 2023, Ohio voted to make the Buckeye state the 24th and most recent state to legalize recreational marijuana. Around the U.S., medicinal marijuana is legal in an even greater number of states. In March 2023, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a bill legalizing medical use; however it will not go into effect until 2025.

Here are the states where the use of medical or recreational marijuana is currently legal.

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Here are the states where it is currently legal, or will soon become legal, to purchase marijuana for recreational use. Every state on this list had authorized the use for medicinal purposes prior to full legalization.

The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes is legal in an even greater number of states than recreational marijuana, and its use is only totally prohibited in 11 states. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a bill legalizing medical use in March; however it will not go into effect until 2025.

Contributing: Orlando Mayorquin and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY