The legality of cannabis for medical and recreational use varies by country,in terms of its possession,distribution,and cultivation,and how it can be consumed and what medical conditions it can be used for. These policies in most countries are regulated by three United Nations treaties:the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs,the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances,and the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Cannabis was reclassified in 2020 to a Schedule I-only drug under the Single Convention treaty,with the schedules from strictest to least being IV,I,II,and III. As a Schedule I drug under the treaty,countries can allow the medical use of cannabis but it is considered to be an addictive drug with a serious risk of abuse.
In the United States,the removal of cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act,the category reserved for drugs that have "no currently accepted medical use",is a proposed legal and administrative change in cannabis-related law at the federal level. After being proposed repeatedly since 1972,the U.S. Department of Justice initiated 2024 rulemaking to reschedule cannabis to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. The majority of 2024 public comments supported descheduling,decriminalizing,or legalizing marijuana at the federal level.
The CNMI Republican Party is a political party in the Northern Mariana Islands. The Northern Mariana Islands Republican Party is now associated with the United States Republican Party though no Northern Mariana Islands politicians have achieved high-ranking positions in the mainland United States.
The use,sale,and possession of cannabis containing over 0.3% THC by dry weight in the United States,despite laws in many states permitting it under various circumstances,is illegal under federal law. As a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970,cannabis containing over 0.3% THC by dry weight is considered to have "no accepted medical use" and a high potential for abuse and physical or psychological dependence. Cannabis use is illegal for any reason,with the exception of FDA-approved research programs. However,individual states have enacted legislation permitting exemptions for various uses,including medical,industrial,and recreational use.
In the United States,cannabis is legal in 38 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. Beginning in 2024,the Drug Enforcement Administration has initiated a review to potentially move cannabis to the less-restrictive Schedule III.
The legal history of cannabis in the United States began with state-level prohibition in the early 20th century,with the first major federal limitations occurring in 1937. Starting with Oregon in 1973,individual states began to liberalize cannabis laws through decriminalization. In 1996,California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis,sparking a trend that spread to a majority of states by 2016. In 2012,Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize cannabis for recreational use.
Initiative 59 was a 1998 ballot initiative in Washington,D.C.,that sought to legalize medical cannabis. The short title of the initiative was "Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1998". Though the initiative passed with 69% of the vote in November 1998,its implementation was delayed by Congress's passage of the Barr Amendment,which prohibited DC from using its funds in support of the program. This Amendment delayed the start of the medical marijuana program until it was effectively overturned in 2009,with the first DC customer legally purchasing medical cannabis at a dispensary in the District in 2013.
Cannabis is strictly illegal in Wyoming. The state has some of the strictest cannabis laws in the United States. Cannabis itself is not allowed for medical purposes,but a 2015 law allows limited use of non-psychoactive Cannabidiol. An effort was made to place two initiatives on the 2022 ballot,one to legalize medical cannabis,and the other to decriminalize personal use.
Cannabis in Kentucky is illegal for recreational use,and legal for medical use under executive order,with full medical legalization statute taking effect in 2025. Non-psychoactive CBD oil is also legal in the state,and Kentucky has a history of cultivating industrial hemp for fiber since 1775.
Cannabis in Minnesota is legal for recreational use since August 2023. Governor Tim Walz signed House File 100 on May 30,2023,legalizing the use,possession,and cultivation of cannabis within the state. The state's new Office of Cannabis Management will establish a regulatory framework for commercial cultivation and sales,with exceptions for tribal nations.
Cannabis in New Hampshire is illegal for recreational use and decriminalized for possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce (21 g) as of July 18,2017. Medical use is legal through legislation passed in 2013.
Cannabis in Sweden is illegal for all purposes. It is illegal for recreational purposes,for most medical purposes and possession of even small amounts of cannabis is a criminal offence. Consequently,limited medical usage of cannabis-based drugs is only allowed for specific conditions.
Cannabis in Argentina is regulated by the Penal Code of Argentina,which prohibits its possession,cultivation,and supply,except for authorized medical purposes. Official statistics estimate that cannabis is used by 7.8% of Argentina's population.
The list includes and details significant events that occurred in the global history of national-level implementations of,or changes made to,laws surrounding the use,sale,or production of the psychoactive drug cannabis.
Heather Edelson is an American politician who is a member of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL),she served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to 2024,representing District 50A in the western Twin Cities metropolitan area,which includes Edina and parts of Hennepin County. In 2024,she was elected to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners from the 6th district.
Josh Calloway is an American politician from Kentucky. A member of the Republican Party,he has been a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives since January 2021. He represents Kentucky's 11th House district,which includes Breckenridge and Hardin counties.
Kentucky Senate Bill 47 is a law enacted in 2023 to create a medical cannabis program in the state.
