These Charts Show the Evolution of America’s Marijuana Laws Over Time

Today, 29 states have legalized medical marijuana, eight of which also permit recreational use, and another 17 allow the limited use of non-intoxicating marijuana extracts to treat certain medical conditions (like seizure disorders in young children).3 Roughly 201 million Americans (60% of the country) currently live in states where marijuana is legal for general medical use—up from 62 million ten years ago and 32 million ten years before that. And nearly 70 million (21%) live in states where recreational use by adults is also allowed, up from 12 million in 2012 and 0 in 2011.4 All told, roughly 98% of Americans live in a state that has legalized some form of marijuana—up from 0% just 21 years ago. Percent of U.S. population that lives in states where marijuana is legal

Article by Nathan Kasai and Sarah Trumble, Thirdway When President Barack Obama was sworn into office, only 13 states had legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes and none allowed its recreational use. By the time Donald Trump was inaugurated, those numbers had grown to 28 states (plus Washington, D.C.) where medical marijuana is legal and … Continue reading These Charts Show the Evolution of America’s Marijuana Laws Over Time