Legality of cannabis by U.S. jurisdiction
In the United States, cannabis is legal in 40 of 50 states for medical use and 24 states for recreational use. At the federal level, cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, determined to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, prohibiting its use for any purpose. Despite this prohibition, federal law is generally not enforced against the possession, cultivation, or intrastate distribution of cannabis in states where such activity has been legalized. In April 2024 during the Biden administration, the Department of Justice initiated a process to reschedule cannabis to the less-restrictive Schedule III. A December 18, 2025 executive order expedited the process of rescheduling.
The medical use of cannabis is legal with a medical recommendation in 40 states, four out of five permanently inhabited U.S. territories, and the federal District of Columbia. Ten other states have laws that limit the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol, for the purpose of allowing access to products rich in cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating component of cannabis. The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment, first passed in 2014, prohibits federal prosecution of individuals complying with state medical cannabis laws.
The recreational use of cannabis has been legalized in 24 states, three U.S. territories, and D.C. Another seven states have decriminalized its use. Commercial distribution has been legalized in all jurisdictions where possession has been legalized, except for Virginia and D.C. Personal cultivation for recreational use is allowed in all of these jurisdictions except for Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, and Washington state.
Cannabinoid drugs which have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for prescription use are Marinol and Syndros, Cesamet, and Epidiolex. For non-prescription use, products with less than 0.3% delta-9 THC containing CBD, delta-8 THC, and other naturally occurring cannabinoids derived from hemp are legal and unregulated at the federal level, but legality and enforcement varies by state.
Statewide legalization of recreational cannabis appeared on the ballot for the 2024 elections as 2024 Florida Amendment 3, and in North and South Dakota. It failed to pass in all 3 states. Nebraskans decided on a ballot measure related to medical cannabis the same day, which passed.
By state
| State | Recreational | Medical | Cultivation | Notes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 AlabamaHs|3main article|Cannabis in AlabamaFederal district
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Washington, D.C.|name=District of ColumbiaHs|1convert|2|oz|g|abbr=onmain article|Cannabis in Washington, D.C.convert|1|oz|g|abbr=on
American SamoaHs|7main article|Cannabis in