Several states are actively working toward legalizing recreational marijuana, with public support high and lawmakers facing growing pressure to act.
While 24 states already allow adult-use marijuana, the race to become the 25th is gaining momentum. Here’s an updated look at the states currently leading the charge.
Florida
Although Florida voters came close to approving Amendment 3 in 2024, the measure narrowly missed the 60% supermajority needed to pass. Advocates have since launched a new campaign to qualify a marijuana legalization initiative for the 2026 ballot. Smart & Safe Florida is leading the charge, already submitting more than 200,000 of the nearly 900,000 signatures required. The group has also already raised over $20 million, Recently Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill into law imposing stricter rules for future initiatives, creating added hurdles for the 2026 campaign. However, Smart & Safe Florida has filed a lawsuit challenging the law.
Oklahoma
Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action (ORCA) is working to place a new marijuana legalization initiative—State Question 837—on the November 2026 ballot. The proposal would legalize possession of up to eight ounces of marijuana and allow adults 21 and older to grow up to 12 plants for personal use. It also includes broad protections for cannabis users, covering areas such as housing, employment, firearm ownership, and healthcare access.
The measure is currently in its constitutionality challenge period, which ends July 7. If no challenge is filed, signature gathering could begin around August 15. However, if a legal challenge is submitted, that timeline could shift to the fall. To qualify for the ballot, the campaign must collect nearly 173,000 valid signatures within a 90-day window once approved for circulation.
In the meantime, ORCA is ramping up its outreach and fundraising efforts, preparing for what could be one of the most comprehensive marijuana reform campaigns in the state’s history.
New Hampshire
Lawmakers in New Hampshire advanced House Bill 198 earlier this year, passing it through the full House in March. The proposal would legalize possession of up to two ounces of marijuana and establish a state-run retail model. However, despite initial progress, the Senate voted to table the measure in early May, effectively halting its chances for 2025. New Hampshire remains the only state in New England without legal recreational marijuana, even as recent polling shows strong public support. Despite recent setbacks, legalization proponents are hopeful senators will take the issue more seriously in 2026, during an election year.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s push for marijuana legalization hit a roadblock in May when the Senate Law and Justice Committee voted 7 to 3 to reject House Bill 1200, a proposal that would have legalized sales through a state-run retail system. The bill, which passed the full House in April, would have allowed adults 21 and older to purchase marijuana through state-operated stores run by the Liquor Control Board. It also included provisions for home cultivation of up to two mature and two immature plants, along with a 12% excise tax on marijuana products.
Supporters of the bill argued that a state-run model would prioritize public health and prevent corporate monopolies. However, Senate critics, including Chair Dan Laughlin (R), raised concerns about logistics and legal complications, with Laughlin stating he does not support the state store approach. One Democrat joined Republicans in voting against the bill.
While this particular measure is stalled, discussions around legalization remain active. Senator Laughlin and Senator Sharif Street (D) have previously introduced a bipartisan alternative that would allow private businesses to sell marijuana under a regulated framework. Although that bill has not been reintroduced this session, some lawmakers have signaled support for its return, keeping Pennsylvania in the mix as a potential legalization state in the near future.
Hawaii
Despite support from Governor Josh Green and passage in the Senate, a marijuana legalization bill stalled in the House Finance Committee in 2024, ending its chances for the year. A similar effort introduced in 2025 was postponed, with legislative leaders saying they plan to revisit the issue during the 2026 session. Hawaii remains the only state on the West Coast without legal recreational marijuana.
South Dakota
After voters approved marijuana legalization in 2020 only to have it struck down by the state Supreme Court, efforts to revive the issue have since stalled. No initiative is currently planned for 2025, but advocates have signaled that a new campaign could be launched for the 2026 or 2028 election. While South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws has not begun collecting signatures, discussions about the path forward remain ongoing, with one proponent saying that chances of a new initiative being filed by 2026 remain “about 50/50”.
Wisconsin
Governor Tony Evers continues to push for full marijuana legalization, including it in his 2025–2027 budget proposal. Companion bills introduced by Democrats would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of marijuana, grow up to six plants, and purchase marijuana through licensed retailers. Although Republicans maintain control of the legislature, recent elections have narrowed their majority. A growing number of GOP lawmakers have expressed openness to reform, and a 2024 poll found that 63% of Wisconsin voters support legalization. In 2022 alone, Wisconsin residents spent $121 million on marijuana in neighboring Illinois, highlighting the state’s missed economic opportunity. With this in mind, proponents are hopeful that going into 2026, the chances of the state legalizing cannabis continue to grow.
