Is cannabis legal under U.S. federal law?

No. Under the CSA, cannabis remains a Schedule I substance federally. State or territory programs do not change federal prohibitions, especially on federal property and in interstate/international transport.

Can I fly with cannabis within the U.S.?

Airports and air travel involve federal jurisdiction. Do not transport cannabis in air travel even if endpoints have legal programs.

Why do states look similar in shorthand but differ in practice?

Program details vary--possession limits, home-grow rules, expungement, licensing, product types, and DUIC standards. Always check your state's official portal.

United States: Cannabis Laws (Federal, States & Territories)

Last updated: December 21, 2025. Laws change quickly; confirm on official government portals linked below. This page is informational only and not legal advice. See our Legal Disclaimer & No-Warranty.

Federal Status (Applies Nationwide)

Controlled Substances Act (CSA): Cannabis (marijuana) remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law.
Rescheduling proposal: DOJ/DEA published a proposed rule on May 21, 2024 to move marijuana to Schedule III, followed by a hearing notice on Aug 29, 2024. No final rule has been published, so Schedule I status still applies nationally.
Implications: Federal property (airports, national parks, federal buildings) and interstate/international transport are governed by federal law. Do not transport cannabis across state or national borders.
Commerce/banking/mail: Activities touching federal systems may be restricted even when a state program permits certain conduct.

Safer choices: see the Responsible Use Guide. For sourcing and updates: Information You Can Trust, Editorial Standards, and How We Fact-Check.

Legend & Notes

Legend: R = adult-use program; M = medical program; I = prohibited/limited.
Important: Status is indicative. Always verify on the official portal before acting. Some states have narrow/limited programs or evolving frameworks.

States (A-Z)

State	Shorthand	420.place Page	Official Government Portal (verify details)
Alabama	M (limited)	--	https://albm.alabama.gov/
Alaska	R+M	/article/laws-us-alaska	https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/abc/MarijuanaControlBoard.aspx
Arizona	R+M	/article/laws-us-arizona	https://www.azdhs.gov/licensing/medical-marijuana/
Arkansas	M	--	https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/
California	R+M	/article/laws-us-california	https://cannabis.ca.gov/
Colorado	R+M	/article/laws-us-colorado	https://sbg.colorado.gov/marijuana
Connecticut	R+M	--	https://portal.ct.gov/cannabis
Delaware	R+M (implementation evolving)	--	https://pharmacy.delaware.gov/medicalmarijuana/
Florida	M	/article/laws-us-florida	https://knowthefactsmmj.com/
Georgia	limited M	/article/laws-us-georgia	https://gmcc.ga.gov/
Hawaii	M (adult-use evolving)	/article/laws-us-hawaii	https://health.hawaii.gov/medicalcannabis/
Idaho	I	--	https://gov.idaho.gov/
Illinois	R+M	/article/laws-us-illinois	https://cannabis.illinois.gov/
Indiana	I	--	https://www.in.gov/
Iowa	limited M	--	https://hhs.iowa.gov/medical-cannabis
Kansas	I	--	https://www.kansas.gov/
Kentucky	M (program evolving)	--	https://kpn.ky.gov/ (program info may route via governor/hhs portals)
Louisiana	M	--	https://ldh.la.gov/
Maine	R+M	--	https://www.maine.gov/oit/cannabis (or OCP portal)
Maryland	R+M	/article/laws-us-maryland	https://mmcc.maryland.gov/
Massachusetts	R+M	/article/laws-us-massachusetts	https://masscannabiscontrol.com/
Michigan	R+M	/article/laws-us-michigan	https://www.michigan.gov/cra
Minnesota	R+M (phased)	/article/laws-us-minnesota	https://cannabis.mn.gov/
Mississippi	M	--	https://msdh.ms.gov/
Missouri	R+M	/article/laws-us-missouri	https://cannabis.mo.gov/
Montana	R+M	--	https://mtrevenue.gov/cannabis/
Nebraska	I	--	https://nebraska.gov/
Nevada	R+M	/article/laws-us-nevada	https://cannabis.nv.gov/
New Hampshire	M	--	https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/ (law) / https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/ (health)
New Jersey	R+M	/article/laws-us-new-jersey	https://www.nj.gov/cannabis/
New Mexico	R+M	--	https://www.rld.nm.gov/cannabis/
New York	R+M	/article/laws-us-new-york	https://cannabis.ny.gov/
North Carolina	I (very limited)	/article/laws-us-north-carolina	https://www.ncleg.gov/
North Dakota	M	--	https://www.hhs.nd.gov/
Ohio	R+M (implementation varies)	/article/laws-us-ohio	https://medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov/
Oklahoma	M	--	https://oklahoma.gov/omma.html
Oregon	R+M	/article/laws-us-oregon	https://www.oregon.gov/olcc/marijuana
Pennsylvania	M	/article/laws-us-pennsylvania	https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/programs/Medical%20Marijuana/Pages/Medical%20Marijuana.aspx
Rhode Island	R+M	--	https://cannabis.ri.gov/
South Carolina	I	--	https://scdhec.gov/
South Dakota	M	--	https://doh.sd.gov/cannabis/
Tennessee	I (limited CBD pathways)	--	https://www.tn.gov/
Texas	limited M	/article/laws-us-texas	https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/compassionate-use-program
Utah	M	--	https://medicalcannabis.utah.gov/
Vermont	R+M	--	https://ccb.vermont.gov/
Virginia	M; adult-use evolving	/article/laws-us-virginia	https://cca.virginia.gov/
Washington	R+M	/article/laws-us-washington	https://lcb.wa.gov/
West Virginia	M	--	https://dhhr.wv.gov/bph/
Wisconsin	I	--	https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/
Wyoming	I	--	https://health.wyo.gov/

Territories & District

Jurisdiction	Shorthand	420.place Page	Official Government Portal (verify details)
District of Columbia (DC)	R (unique) + M	/article/laws-us-district-of-columbia	https://abca.dc.gov/cannabis
Puerto Rico (PR)	M	--	https://www.salud.pr.gov/
Guam (GU)	R+M (implementation varies)	--	https://dphss.guam.gov/
U.S. Virgin Islands (VI)	R+M (developing)	--	https://www.vi.gov/
Northern Mariana Islands (MP)	R+M	--	https://www.commerce.gov.mp/
American Samoa (AS)	I	--	https://www.americansamoa.gov/

Driving & DUIC: States and territories differ on impairment standards and per-se limits. Check your local DMV/DoT or law-enforcement pages via the official portals above.
Travel: Do not transport cannabis across state/territory or international borders, or onto federal property.

Staying Current

Significant legal changes are summarized in Research Updates.
See our How We Fact-Check and Editorial Standards for how we vet legal sources.
Media commentary on December 2025 rescheduling claims exists, but verify official actions on the Federal Register before relying on them.

Important Disclaimer

This is not legal advice. Verify rules on the government portals above and consult counsel for your situation. See Legal Disclaimer & No-Warranty and Terms of Use.

Cannabis Laws in the United States (Federal, States & Territories)