The marijuana legalization snowball is now rolling downhill so fast that even pro-pot websites can’t keep up tracking it. At this point it is easier to report the states which still consider possession of marijuana (for any reason) a criminal offense, of which there are only 8, compared to 16 states and the District of Columbia which have fully legalized both medical and recreational use. The 26 “in between'’ states are now a jumble of partial medicinal, decriminalization, or other technical (CDB oil) legalization stages.
In the November 2020 election, 5 states—all with legalization questions on the ballot—"reformed” their laws on pot: Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota going for full recreational legalization (through referendum), and conservative Mississippi taking the first step on the slippery slope, going for medical legalization. Since then, other states are on the bandwagon.
In New York, a fully supportive Gov. Andy Cuomo has agreed to a decriminalization deal, which is expected to get a favorable vote in the legislature next week. There is drooling talk that it could raise over $4 billion annually.
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law three bills in February that legalized recreational marijuana, a move which the New York Times cited favorably for putting “extra pressure” on New York and Governor Cuomo.
