South Carolina: Tree on the Flag, but No Trees Allowed

The South Carolina marijuana laws aren’t set up with any decriminalization at this point (however, it’s certainly not as bad as Oklahoma). A first-time possession offense of less than an ounce carries a small $200 fine, but it also brings the possibility of 30 days of incarceration.

Medical marijuana in South Carolina isn’t too great, because THC is still hated, and you can only get CBD oil prescribed for severe epilepsy. Is marijuana legal in South Carolina? Nope, not at all.

Current Legal Status in South Carolina

• Medical Marijuana in South Carolina: CBD for epilepsy only
• Recreational South Carolina Marijuana Laws: Lowest offense is a misdemeanor still

• Policy group(s) active in state: South Carolina Compassionate Care Alliance, Compassionate South Carolina

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Tom Davis, Peter McCoy

• Top brand(s) based in state: None

• Projected tax revenue generated by legalization of recreational marijuana: $0

As of now, medical marijuana in South Carolina is the biggest hope for change. It doesn’t seem like the South Carolina marijuana laws are going to accept recreational use for awhile, but Tom Davis and Peter McCoy have made a serious proposal for medical use that everyone should be pumping up.

Thinking of moving to a state with more trees? Check out all US marijuana laws here!

Rhode Island: Smallest State in the Union Could be Greener

Despite being basically engulfed by Massachusetts, the Rhode Island marijuana laws aren’t as lenient. In 2012, Rhode Island voted to decriminalize marijuana, but efforts for legalization – which have been proposed annually – keep failing to make the big leap. As of now, possession of less than one ounce is a civil infraction that comes with a $150 fine, so not really a big deal. Polls done by Brown University show that well over half the population supports a full legalization effort.

Medical marijuana in Rhode Island was implemented in 2006, and the state got their dispensary market up and running in 2009. Is marijuana legal in Rhode Island? Yes, as far as medical use, but recreational marijuana laws in Rhode Island have yet to evolve.

Current Legal Status in Rhode Island

• Medical Marijuana in Rhode Island: Legal since 2006
• Recreational Rhode Island Marijuana Laws: Decriminalized since 2012

• Policy group(s) active in state: Regulate Rhode Island

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Scott Slater, Joshua Miller

• Top brand(s) based in state: Summit Medical Compassion Center, Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center,

• Projected tax revenue generated by legalization of recreational marijuana: $15 million (which may seem low, but come on guys – it’s a really small state)

If you want to see a recreational market for the state of Rhode Island, make sure to show your support of Scott Slater and Joshua Miller, in their attempts to make Rhode Island lawmakers see the green light. Medical marijuana in Rhode Island is running well so far, but there’s are many opportunities to see that recreational green.

Rhode Island’s green goings a little slow for your liking? Check out all US marijuana laws here!

Pennsylvania: Virtue, Liberty, and Independence from Harsh Marijuana Policies

It’s not exactly the most weed-friendly state in the union, but there is a growing progressive movement when it comes to Pennsylvania marijuana laws. It’s still a misdemeanor offense statewide, but cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and State College have all decriminalized, which is setting the tone for more lenient cannabis policies.

Medical marijuana in Pennsylvania was legalized in 2016, and it already has an up-and-running market, so patients can easily get edibles to help with health needs. Is marijuana legal in Pennsylvania? Medically, yes – and hopefully recreationally, in the not-too-distant future.

Current Legal Status in Pennsylvania

• Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania: Legal since 2016
• Recreational Pennsylvania Marijuana Laws: Decriminalized in certain cities

• Policy group(s) active in state: PhillyNORML, Pittsburgh NORML, Keystone Cannabis Coalition

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Tom Wolf,

• Top brand(s) based in state: Keystone Canna, Solevo Wellness, The Green Remedy

• Tax revenue generated by legalization of medical marijuana: Too soon to say

Medical marijuana in Pennsylvania only just opened its market this year, but there has already been trouble, thanks to Jeff Sessions and his federal stink about marijuana. Thankfully, certified good guy Tom Wolf made it clear that he’s not going to let Jeff Sessions bully around his Pennsylvania marijuana laws.

Want to know what’s happening in other states? Check out all US marijuana laws here!

Oregon: Filling the West Coast with Weed

Fans of Portlandia can rest assured that Oregon is, indeed, keeping it weird. In 2014, following Colorado’s landmark legalization decision, Oregon marijuana laws changed, to warm up to recreational use. Now, you can just walk into a dispensary and buy some of the coolest edibles on the market, at any time you wish.

Medical marijuana in Oregon has been around since 1998, and that industry is still going strong. Recently, laws made it possible for recreational and medical use marijuana products to be sold at the same locations. Is marijuana legal in Oregon? Heck yeah, it is!

Current Legal Status in Oregon

• Medical Marijuana in Oregon: Legal since 1998
• Recreational Oregon Marijuana Laws: Legal since 2014

• Policy group(s) active in state: Oregon NORML & Women’s Alliance,  

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Earl Blumenauer, Kate Brown

• Top brand(s) based in state: Lunchbox Alchemy, Select Oil, Wyld

• Tax revenue generated by legalization of recreational marijuana: $60 million in 2016 and $78 million in 2017

There’s still a fight for reform in the Oregon marijuana laws, due to the fact that employers can still fire people for off-duty marijuana use, which a news anchor from Eugene claims happened to her in 2015. The people need to keep their ears to the ground, when it comes to recent bills – despite the fact that the state is overwhelmingly free, in terms of recreational and medical marijuana in Oregon – because things can always get better.

Want to learn about marijuana restrictions in bordering states? Check out all US marijuana laws here!

Oklahoma: Not Too Green in the Panhandle

Oklahoma marijuana laws are pretty conservative, to say the least, making them a little less sensible than states like Kansas, in some ways. Oklahoma is known for having some of the strictest laws out there, with first-time possession of any amount landing you a misdemeanor, a $1,000 fine, and up to a year in jail. Punishments in Oklahoma may be strict on paper, but they’re even more so in real life; they have put people away for life on possession, including a man that got a felony charge – with life in prison – for having 0.16 grams back in 1992.

Medical marijuana in Oklahoma isn’t too great either, because all you can really use is CBD oil. A ballot was to be held in 2016, for full medical legalization, but after some controversy involving a rewrite of the language by the attorney general, the vote was pushed back, to June of 2018. Is marijuana legal in Oklahoma? Not even close.

Current Legal Status in Oklahoma

• Medical Marijuana in Oklahoma: Only CBD oil since 2015
• Recreational Oklahoma Marijuana Laws: Don’t even think about it

• Policy group(s) active in state: Oklahomans for Health, Oklahoma Compassionate Care Campaign

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Eric Proctor

• Top brand(s) based in state: None

• Tax revenue generated by legalization of any marijuana: $0

As of now, the Oklahoma marijuana laws aren’t looking too bright. Advocacy groups are pushing to at least get medical marijuana into Oklahoma, but many lawmakers are pushing back as hard as they can.

Not okay with Oklahoma’s strict stance on weed? Check out all US marijuana laws here!

Ohio: The Buckeye State that Needs to Eye Cannabis Reform

The way Ohio marijuana laws are set up is surprisingly lenient, compared to neighboring Indiana. The lowest-level possession offense was decriminalized in 1975, meaning you can have up to 100 grams of cannabis, before you end up owing more than the $150 fine. Sadly, many cities across Ohio have voted in measures to re-criminalize marijuana possession. On the contrary, the city of Athens has actually voted to drop all charges for possession, coming very close to making it legal.

Similar to the state of New York, medical marijuana in Ohio can only be used in forms that do not involve smoking the plant. They legalized medical use and the option for a market in 2016, but they’re still waiting on the opening of dispensaries. Cultivation is still illegal, even if you’re a registered patient. Is marijuana legal in Ohio? No, but it seems hard to get in too much trouble for having it.

Current Legal Status in Ohio

• Medical Marijuana in Ohio: Legal since 2016
• Recreational Ohio Marijuana Laws: Decriminalized in 1975

• Policy group(s) active in state: Green Light Acquisitions, Ohio NORML

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: None, but Joyce Beady and Marcia Fudge have pretty good scores on NORML

• Top brand(s) based in state: None yet, but opening (hopefully) by September 8th

• Tax revenue generated by legalization of medical marijuana: $0

Ohio marijuana laws certainly have been traveling a bumpy road over the past few years, due to issues around recriminalization, as well as the ResponsibleOhio measure (which almost worked, but eventually failed due to several corrupt aspects). Medical marijuana in Ohio is the main access point at this time, but even that has a ways to go before it catches up with other states.

Mainly interested in recreational, which Maine can’t offer? Check out all US marijuana laws here!

North Dakota: Slightly More Green-Friendly than Her Southern Brother

Of the two Dakotas, North Dakota marijuana laws are a little bit more lenient, but not by much. Possession in its lowest form counts as a misdemeanor that could come with a $1,000 fine. In 2015, medical marijuana in North Dakota failed to pass, but 2016 finally got it granted, giving the state that edge above its southern neighbor. Is marijuana legal in North Dakota? No, but at least they have medical weed.

Current Legal Status in North Dakota

• Medical Marijuana in North Dakota: Legal since 2016
• Recreational North Dakota Marijuana Laws: Still a hefty misdemeanor

• Policy group(s) active in state: Legalize ND

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Eric Olson, David Owen

• Top brand(s) based in state: None yet, but opening soon

• Tax revenue generated by legalization of medical marijuana: $0

As of now, North Dakota marijuana laws aren’t enough to help those interested in recreational use, but Eric Olson and David Owen are trying to change that. Medical marijuana in North Dakota is legalized now, but there’s still a wait on opening any dispensaries, so CBD might be your best bet unless you’re growing the plant yourself.

Ready to take the leap to a state that’s gone fully green? Check out all US marijuana laws here!

North Carolina: The Old North State with Some Old Marijuana Policies

While possessing under a half ounce of cannabis has been decriminalized, the North Carolina marijuana laws still list that as a misdemeanor, which comes with a $200 fine. Decriminalization happened back in 1977, but there haven’t been any real changes since then. Medical marijuana in North Carolina failed in 2014, and the medical use of CBD oil was legalized in 2015, but that’s about as far as it goes. Is marijuana legal in North Carolina? No, but you can use CBD for ailments as an alternative.

Current Legal Status in North Carolina

• Medical Marijuana in North Carolina: CBD is legal since 2015
• Recreational North Carolina Marijuana Laws: Decriminalized since 1977

• Policy group(s) active in state: North Carolina NORML, Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Kelly Alexander, John Autry, Mary Belk, John Bradford, Carla Cunningham, Rodney Moore,

• Top brand(s) based in state: None

• Projected tax revenue from a year of recreational marijuana: $0

The state may be pretty restrictive, due to how North Carolina marijuana laws are set up today – which is pretty similar to neighboring Tennessee – but there are politicians who are really trying to make a change. Kelly Alexander has been proposing a bill to get medical marijuana in North Carolina every year since he was elected in 2009, so show him some support to get some change happening in the state.

Not enough green to keep you in North Carolina? Check out all US marijuana laws here!

New York: NYC and THC

If you’re in the Big Apple, you should know that the New York marijuana laws have decriminalized possession, but that’s only as long as marijuana is out of public view. This decriminalization goes back to 1977 when the state decided that first time possession under 25 grams of marijuana would just be an infraction, with a $100 fine. But, if marijuana is possessed in the “public view” – a term that’s up for interpretation by law enforcement – it’s a class B misdemeanor, which could come with six months of incarceration.

Medical marijuana in New York became an eligible market in 2014 when the state permitted five growers to open up four dispensaries each in the state. Is marijuana legal in New York? New York medical marijuana is the only permissible kind, for the time being.

Current Legal Status in New York

• Medical Marijuana in New York: Legal since 2014
• Recreational New York Marijuana Laws: Still Illegal

• Policy group(s) active in state: Empire State NORML, MarijuanaReform.org, NY Cannabar

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Cynthia Nixon, Liz Krueger

• Top brand(s) based in state: Columbia Care NY, Etain Health

• Projected tax revenue from a year of recreational marijuana: $400 million

As of now, Governor Cuomo is on the fence about recreational legalization, but he wants to look into more facts, now that Massachusetts has legalized and New Jersey is trying to. The new Democratic candidate for governor, Cynthia Nixon – who previously starred in Sex and the City, as the character Miranda – has put marijuana front and center in her campaign, and she really wants to change the New York marijuana laws.

Thinking of checking out other east coast marijuana options? Check out all US marijuana laws here!

New Mexico: Land of Enchantment (Except with Weed)

They may share a border with the fully legalized state of Colorado, but New Mexico still isn’t too keen on having their residents in possession of marijuana. The New Mexico marijuana laws are set so that first-time possession is a misdemeanor offense. On the bright side, it only gets you a $100 fine or 15 days incarceration.

Medical marijuana in New Mexico was approved in 2007, with governor Bill Richardson stating that he doesn’t see an issue with using it as medicine. Is marijuana legal in New Mexico? Not yet, but the fight is there!

Current Legal Status in New Mexico

• Medical Marijuana in New Mexico: Legal since 2007
• Recreational New Mexico Marijuana Laws: Still Illegal

• Policy group(s) active in state: NORML

• Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Jerry Ortiz y Pino, Javier Martínez

• Top brand(s) based in state: Minerva Canna Group, R. Greenleaf Organics

• Total sales of medical marijuana in 2016: $50.6 million

A new bill to change the New Mexico marijuana laws to allow recreational possession and a commercial market was presented this year, but Javier Martínez, one of the lawmakers that introduced the bill, doesn’t believe it will pass. The best thing to do now? Enjoy the access to medical marijuana in New Mexico that is currently legal, and contact lawmakers about legalization, so you can get your hands on the best edibles out there.

Want to explore other weed-friendly options and places? Check out all US marijuana laws here!