Where is Weed Legal in the United States in 2025?

The legalization of marijuana or weed is spreading across the United States, even though it is still illegal under federal law. According to Gallop, one in five people in the US lives in a state where weed is legal.

As many states have enacted their own laws regarding marijuana use for both medical and recreational purposes, the growing wave of green legalization can make it confusing to know exactly where Americans can legally light up in 2025. 

If you're wondering about legal marijuana states in 2025, this article covers where weed is legal in the United States for both recreational and medical use.

What does the legalization of weed mean?

The legalization of marijuana or weed means the state law allows people to use, possess, and sell marijuana for medical, recreational, or both purposes. 

States that legalized recreational weed allow people who are 21 years or older to purchase and possess recreational weed. Medical marijuana laws allow patients with certain medical conditions to use weed for managing symptoms of chronic pain, insomnia, depression, and more. 

However, the legalization of marijuana doesn't always mean you can legally purchase it. For instance, the purchase of weed is not legal in Washington, D.C., but it is legal to possess up to two ounces of weed and grow up to six marijuana plants in the District of Columbia, as long as you are 21 or older.

The legality of weed in the United States: A State-by-State Breakdown for 2025

As of April 2025, the use of weed for medical purposes is legal in 39 states and the District of Columbia, while 24 states allow the use of recreational weed. In addition, seven states only allow low-THC CBD oil for medical purposes. Despite the support for the legalization of marijuana, four states in the US don't legalize the use of weed for medical or recreational purposes. Below is the breakdown of legalization of weed in the United States:  

The Map shows the states in the US where weed is legal Source: DISA, USA Facts

Where is weed recreationally legal? 

As of April 2025, recreational weed is legal in 24 states, allowing adults aged 21 and older to use weed for personal enjoyment rather than for medical reasons. Following the November 7, 2023 election, Ohio became the 24th state to legalize adult-use marijuana when voters approved Issue 2. The chart below lists the states where recreational weed is legal, in alphabetical order:

Where is weed only medically legal in the United States? 

As of March 2025, weed is legal for medical use only in 13 states, including:

• Alabama

• Arkansas

• Florida

• Louisiana

• Hawaii

• Mississippi

• New Hampshire

• North Dakota

• Oklahoma

• Pennsylvania

• South Dakota

• Utah

• West Virginia

Medical marijuana is also legal in states where it is legal for recreational purposes. However, some states decriminalized weed for other uses, including Mississippi, North Dakota, Hawaii, and New Hampshire, which means that while marijuana remains illegal for recreational use, individuals are not subject to criminal penalties for possessing small amounts. 

Medical marijuana is not decriminalized for other uses in Florida, South Dakota, West Virginia, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Utah, and Oklahoma. That means people can be prosecuted for possessing a certain amount of non-medical marijuana. 

Some states have legalized medical marijuana with products containing CBD with little to no THC compound, such as CBD oil. This chart shows the states that have legalized limited access to medical marijuana, specifically allowing only low-THC CBD oil for certain medical conditions:

Source: World Population Review, DISA, and NSL 

Where is weed illegal in the United States?

According to DISA Global Solutions, weed is illegal and not decriminalized in South Carolina, Kansas, Idaho, and Wyoming, whereas it is illegal but decriminalized in North Carolina and Nebraska.

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