Recreational cannabis is now legal in nearly half the country, but the rules vary significantly from state to state.
Some states allow adults to grow marijuana at home, while others prohibit personal cultivation entirely. Some states allow adults to possess more cannabis at home than in public. Others have different limits for flower, concentrates and edibles.
The following overview covers the 24 states that have legalized recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older. However, it’s worth noting that state laws continue to change, and local governments may impose additional restrictions.
Alaska
Year Legalized: 2014. Possession and home cultivation became legal in 2015, and the first licensed stores opened in 2016.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to one ounce of usable marijuana.
Purchase Limit: Licensed retailers may sell up to one ounce of usable cannabis, up to seven grams of marijuana concentrate intended for inhalation, or products containing up to 5,600 milligrams of THC in a single day.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to six plants, with no more than three mature plants at a time. A residence with multiple adults may have up to 12 plants total, including no more than six mature plants.
Other Key Details: Alaska allows local governments to ban or restrict marijuana businesses. Public consumption remains prohibited, and cannabis may not be used on federal land.
Arizona
Year Legalized: 2020, when voters approved Proposition 207.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to one ounce of marijuana, including no more than five grams of marijuana concentrate. Edibles and other infused products count toward the legal possession amount.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to one ounce of marijuana, including no more than five grams of concentrate.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to six plants at a private residence, with a maximum of 12 plants allowed at a household with two or more adults. Plants must be kept in an enclosed, locked area and cannot be visible from public view.
Other Key Details: Arizona’s adult-use market launched quickly after legalization, with existing medical dispensaries among the first to receive approval for recreational sales. Local governments may regulate the time, place and manner of marijuana businesses.
California
Year Legalized: 2016, when voters approved Proposition 64.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to 28.5 grams of cannabis flower and up to eight grams of cannabis concentrate. Edibles and other infused products are regulated as cannabis products and are subject to state packaging, labeling and potency rules.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to 28.5 grams of flower and up to eight grams of concentrate.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to six cannabis plants per residence for personal use. Local governments may impose reasonable rules on home cultivation, especially for outdoor grows, but they cannot completely prohibit indoor personal cultivation.
Other Key Details: California has one of the largest legal cannabis markets in the world, though cities and counties may ban retail stores, delivery operations or other marijuana businesses.
Colorado
Year Legalized: 2012, making Colorado one of the first two states to approve adult-use marijuana.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to two ounces of cannabis.
Purchase Limit: Licensed stores may sell up to one ounce of flower, eight grams of concentrate or products containing up to 800 milligrams of THC in a single day.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to six plants, with no more than three flowering at one time. A residence may have up to 12 plants total, regardless of how many adults live there.
Other Key Details: Colorado’s legal market launched in 2014 and became a national model for regulated sales, marijuana excise taxes and local control. Local jurisdictions may still limit or prohibit marijuana businesses, and public consumption remains illegal.
Connecticut
Year Legalized: 2021, with adult-use retail sales beginning in 2023.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower in public. They may also possess up to five ounces in a locked container at home or in a locked vehicle compartment. Equivalent limits apply to concentrates and edibles, with 1.5 ounces of flower generally corresponding to 7.5 grams of concentrate or cannabis products containing up to 750 milligrams of THC.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to one ounce of cannabis flower or its equivalent per day from licensed retailers. One ounce of flower is generally equivalent to five grams of concentrate or cannabis products containing up to 500 milligrams of THC.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to three mature and three immature plants, with a household cap of 12 total plants. Plants must be grown indoors and kept secure.
Other Key Details: Connecticut allows larger amounts to be kept at home or in a locked vehicle compartment than may be carried in public. The state increased its adult-use transaction limit to one ounce per day in 2025.
Delaware
Year Legalized: 2023, when lawmakers approved legalization and allowed the measure to become law without the governor’s signature. Adult-use sales began on August 1, 2025.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to one ounce of leaf marijuana, up to 12 grams of concentrated cannabis, or cannabis products containing up to 750 milligrams of delta-9 THC.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase marijuana and marijuana products from licensed retailers, subject to the state’s legal possession limits.
Cultivation Limit: Home cultivation is not allowed. Adults may not grow cannabis plants for personal recreational use.
Other Key Details: Delaware’s adult-use market launched through existing medical marijuana compassion centers that received conversion licenses, with additional licensees expected to come online as the state continues implementation. Public consumption remains prohibited, and cannabis may not be transported across state lines.
Illinois
Year Legalized: 2019, with sales beginning on January 1, 2020.
Possession Limit: Illinois residents may possess up to 60 grams of cannabis flower, 10 grams of cannabis concentrate and cannabis-infused products containing up to 1,000 milligrams of THC. Nonresidents may possess half those amounts: 30 grams of flower, five grams of concentrate and infused products containing up to 500 milligrams of THC.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to the same legal possession limits, with lower limits for nonresidents.
Cultivation Limit: Recreational home cultivation is not allowed. Only registered medical cannabis patients may grow cannabis at home, and they are limited to five plants.
Other Key Details: Illinois was the first state to legalize recreational cannabis through the legislature while also creating a broad expungement process for past marijuana-related offenses. A 2026 law doubled the state’s adult-use possession limits.
Maine
Year Legalized: 2016, with licensed adult-use sales beginning in 2020.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis or cannabis products, including no more than 10 grams of concentrate.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis or cannabis products, including no more than 10 grams of concentrate.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to three mature plants, 12 immature plants and unlimited seedlings for personal use. Plants must comply with state and local rules, including requirements related to visibility and security.
Other Key Details: Municipalities must opt in before adult-use marijuana stores and certain other cannabis businesses can operate.
Maryland
Year Legalized: 2022, with possession and adult-use sales becoming legal on July 1, 2023.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower, up to 12 grams of concentrated cannabis, or cannabis products containing up to 750 milligrams of THC.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower, up to 12 grams of concentrated cannabis, or cannabis products containing up to 750 milligrams of THC.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to two cannabis plants per household for personal use. Plants must be kept out of public view and in a secure location where they are not accessible to unauthorized individuals.
Other Key Details: Maryland converted many existing medical cannabis businesses into dual-use operators, allowing the recreational market to open quickly. The state still maintains penalties for possessing amounts above the personal-use limit.
Massachusetts
Year Legalized: 2016, with the first adult-use stores opening in 2018.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to two ounces of marijuana in public, including no more than 10 grams of marijuana concentrate. Adults may possess up to 10 ounces of marijuana at home, in addition to marijuana produced by legally cultivated plants, provided amounts above two ounces are secured.
Purchase Limit: Adults may buy up to two ounces of flower or its equivalent per day, generally including up to 10 grams of active THC in marijuana concentrate or cannabis products containing up to 1,000 milligrams of THC.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to six plants, with a maximum of 12 plants allowed in a residence with two or more adults. Plants must be kept out of public view and secured.
Other Key Details: Massachusetts allows adults to keep more cannabis at home than they may purchase in a single retail transaction. A 2026 law doubled the adult-use purchase and possession limit from one ounce to two ounces.
Michigan
Year Legalized: 2018, making Michigan the first Midwestern state to approve adult-use marijuana.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis in public, including no more than 15 grams of concentrate. Adults may store up to 10 ounces at home, along with cannabis produced from plants they legally grow.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana per transaction, including no more than 15 grams of concentrate.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to 12 plants per household. Plants must be kept in an enclosed area and not visible from public view.
Other Key Details: Michigan has one of the highest personal cultivation limits in the country.
Minnesota
Year Legalized: 2023, with possession and home cultivation becoming legal on August 1 of that year.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to two ounces of cannabis flower in public and up to two pounds of cannabis flower at home. Adults may also possess up to eight grams of cannabis concentrate and edible cannabis products or lower-potency hemp edibles containing up to 800 milligrams of THC.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to two ounces of cannabis flower, up to eight grams of cannabis concentrate or edible cannabis products and lower-potency hemp edibles containing up to 800 milligrams of THC in a single transaction from licensed retailers.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to eight cannabis plants per residence, with no more than four mature, flowering plants at a time. Plants must be grown in an enclosed, locked space that is not open to public view.
Other Key Details: Minnesota also regulates lower-potency hemp-derived THC products, which existed before full adult-use legalization. Adults may give cannabis to another adult without payment, but unlicensed sales remain prohibited.
Missouri
Year Legalized: 2022, when voters approved a constitutional amendment. Adult-use sales began in 2023.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to three ounces of dried, processed marijuana or its equivalent. Under Missouri’s equivalency system, 3.5 grams of flower is generally treated as equivalent to one gram of concentrate or cannabis-infused products containing 100 milligrams of THC. That means the three-ounce limit can translate to roughly 24 grams of concentrate or 2,400 milligrams of THC in infused products, depending on the product mix.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to three ounces of dried, processed marijuana or its equivalent.
Cultivation Limit: Home cultivation is allowed only for adults who obtain a state consumer personal cultivation identification card. A registered adult may cultivate up to six flowering plants, six nonflowering plants over 14 inches tall and six nonflowering plants under 14 inches tall in an enclosed, locked facility.
Other Key Details: Adults may share limited amounts of cannabis without payment. Sales without a license remain illegal.
Montana
Year Legalized: 2020, with adult possession becoming legal in 2021 and adult-use sales beginning in 2022.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to one ounce of usable marijuana. The limit includes no more than eight grams of concentrate and no more than 800 milligrams of THC in edible products.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to one ounce of usable marijuana, including no more than eight grams of concentrate and no more than 800 milligrams of THC in edible products.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to two mature plants and two seedlings for personal use. A private residence may have up to four mature plants and four seedlings, regardless of the number of adults living there. Plants must be kept in a locked area and out of public view, and renters generally need the property owner’s permission.
Other Key Details: Montana allows counties to treat recreational marijuana differently depending on local votes and local rules. Adult-use marijuana sales are subject to state and local taxes.
Nevada
Year Legalized: 2016, with adult-use sales beginning in 2017.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis flower or up to one-quarter ounce of concentrate, which is about seven grams. Cannabis products may also be limited by THC equivalency rules.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis flower or up to one-quarter ounce of concentrate.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to six plants per person, with a household cap of 12 plants, but personal cultivation is generally allowed only if the person lives more than 25 miles from a licensed retail marijuana store.
Other Key Details: Nevada’s market is heavily tourism-driven, especially in Las Vegas. Public consumption remains illegal, though the state has authorized cannabis consumption lounges under a separate regulatory structure.
New Jersey
Year Legalized: 2020, with adult possession becoming legal in 2021 and licensed sales beginning in 2022.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to six ounces of cannabis or cannabis products.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to one ounce of flower or its equivalent per transaction. State equivalency rules generally treat one ounce of flower as equivalent to four grams of concentrate, four milliliters of oil or cannabis-infused products containing up to 1,000 milligrams of THC.
Cultivation Limit: Home cultivation is not allowed. Adults may not grow marijuana for personal use.
Other Key Details: New Jersey’s law includes employment protections and social equity provisions, while giving municipalities authority over whether marijuana businesses may operate locally.
New Mexico
Year Legalized: 2021, with adult-use sales beginning on April 1, 2022.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to two ounces of cannabis flower, up to 16 grams of cannabis extract and edible cannabis products containing up to 800 milligrams of THC. Adults may possess larger amounts at home if the cannabis is stored securely and is not visible from public view.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to two ounces of cannabis flower, up to 16 grams of cannabis extract and edible cannabis products containing up to 800 milligrams of THC.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to six mature plants and six immature plants for personal use. A household may have up to 12 mature plants total, even if more than two adults live there.
Other Key Details: Adults may share cannabis without payment, but unlicensed sales remain illegal. Local governments may regulate the time, place and manner of marijuana businesses, but not completely prohibit adult-use cannabis sales.
New York
Year Legalized: 2021, with the first licensed adult-use sales beginning in late 2022.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to three ounces of cannabis flower and up to 24 grams of concentrated cannabis. Adults may also store up to five pounds of cannabis at home, as long as it is secured.
Purchase Limit: Adults may buy up to three ounces of flower or up to 24 grams of concentrate from licensed retailers.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to three mature and three immature plants, with a household cap of 12 plants total, including no more than six mature plants. Plants must be cultivated for personal use and kept secure.
Other Key Details: New York’s legalization law includes automatic expungement provisions, a strong social equity focus and restrictions on public consumption. Cannabis may not be transported across state lines, even to another legal state.
Ohio
Year Legalized: 2023, with adult-use sales beginning in 2024.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and up to 15 grams of adult-use cannabis extract. Edibles and other marijuana products are regulated through the state’s adult-use product and extract framework.
Purchase Limit: The retail purchase limit generally tracks the statutory adult-use amount, with licensed dispensaries required to monitor daily purchase limits and product equivalencies.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to six plants, with a household cap of 12 plants. Plants must be grown at the person’s primary residence and kept out of public view.
Other Key Details: Ohio’s recreational market initially launched through existing medical marijuana dispensaries that received dual-use authorization.
Oregon
Year Legalized: 2014, with early adult-use sales beginning in 2015.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to two ounces of usable cannabis in public and up to eight ounces at home.
Purchase Limit: Retailers may sell up to two ounces of usable cannabis, 16 ounces of cannabinoid products in solid form, 72 ounces of liquid cannabinoid products and up to 10 grams of cannabis extracts or concentrates in a single day.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to four cannabis plants per residence, regardless of how many adults live there. Plants must be grown out of public view.
Other Key Details: Oregon has one of the country’s older regulated markets and has experienced long-running issues with oversupply, price compression and enforcement against unlicensed production. Local governments may restrict marijuana businesses, and public consumption remains prohibited.
Rhode Island
Year Legalized: 2022, with adult-use sales beginning later that year.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to one ounce of cannabis in public and up to 10 ounces at home. The public possession limit also applies to an equivalent amount of cannabis concentrate, often treated as roughly five grams of concentrate.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to one ounce of cannabis or its equivalent from licensed retailers.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to three mature and three immature cannabis plants for personal use. Plants must be kept in a secure indoor location and out of public view.
Other Key Details: Rhode Island’s legalization law included automatic expungement for many past marijuana possession offenses and created a hybrid licensing structure involving existing medical dispensaries and new retail licenses.
Vermont
Year Legalized: 2018, making Vermont the first state to legalize recreational cannabis through the legislature. Lawmakers later approved a regulated retail system, with sales beginning in 2022.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to two ounces of cannabis or up to 10 grams of hashish, following a 2026 law that doubled Vermont’s previous limits. Edibles, concentrates and other cannabis products are regulated through the state’s Cannabis Control Board rules, including potency and product standards.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase cannabis through the state’s regulated retail system, subject to state product and potency rules.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to two mature plants and four immature plants per dwelling unit. Cannabis produced from those plants may generally be kept at the same location if it is stored securely and is not available for unauthorized use.
Other Key Details: The 2026 law also expanded aspects of Vermont’s cannabis system, including provisions related to cannabis events and potential interstate commerce agreements if federal law allows them.
Virginia
Year Legalized: 2021.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to one ounce of cannabis or an equivalent amount of cannabis products.
Purchase Limit: Virginia does not currently have a licensed recreational retail market, so there is no standard adult-use purchase limit from state-licensed stores.
Cultivation Limit: Adults may grow up to four cannabis plants per household at their primary residence. Plants must be labeled, kept out of public view and secured against access by minors.
Other Key Details: Virginia legalized adult possession and home cultivation but did not open a licensed recreational retail market. Unlicensed sales remain illegal, and lawmakers and the governor have continued debating how to create a regulated adult-use market.
Washington
Year Legalized: 2012, alongside Colorado, making Washington one of the first two states to approve adult-use legalization.
Possession Limit: Adults 21 and older may possess up to one ounce of usable cannabis, seven grams of cannabis concentrate, 16 ounces of solid cannabis-infused products and 72 ounces of liquid cannabis-infused products.
Purchase Limit: Adults may purchase up to one ounce of usable cannabis, seven grams of cannabis concentrate, 16 ounces of solid cannabis-infused products and 72 ounces of liquid cannabis-infused products.
Cultivation Limit: Recreational home cultivation is not allowed. Adults may not grow cannabis at home for personal recreational use unless they qualify under the state’s separate medical cannabis rules.
Other Key Details: Washington’s regulated market opened in 2014 and remains one of the most established in the country. The state has a tightly regulated seed-to-sale system, significant marijuana excise taxes and strict rules against public consumption and unlicensed sales.
