Timeline of cannabis laws in the United states - wikipedia Timeline of cannabis laws in the United states Legality of cannabis in the United States Legal Legal for medical use Legal for medical use, limited THC content Prohibited for any use D Decriminalized Notes : Includes laws which have not yet gone into effect. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under federal law. Some Indian reservations have legalization policies separate from the states they are located in. Cannabis is illegal in all federal enclaves. US Cannabis Legalization ( 1 ) 100 Years of Cannabis Legalization 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, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize cannabis for recreational use. Contents 1 Federal 2 States 3 Municipal 4 Territory 5 Indian reservations 6 Opinion 6.1 Presidential 6.2 Public 7 See also 8 References 9 External links Federal 1937 : The Marihuana Tax Act is enacted, effectively prohibiting cannabis at the federal level. Although medical use is still permitted, new fees and regulatory requirements significantly curtail its use. 1970 : The Controlled Substances Act is enacted, officially prohibiting cannabis for any use ( medical included ) at the federal level. 1990 : The Solomon -- Lautenberg amendment is enacted. As a result, many states pass laws imposing mandatory driver 's license suspensions for persons caught possessing cannabis, even if unrelated to driving. 2014 : The Rohrabacher -- Farr amendment passed the U.S. House and was signed into law. Requiring annual renewal, it prohibits the Justice Department from interfering with the implementation of state medical cannabis laws. States Prohibition begins - 1911 1911 : Massachusetts requires a prescription for sales of `` Indian hemp '' 1913 : California, Maine, Wyoming, and Indiana ban marijuana 1915 : Utah and Vermont ban marijuana 1917 : Colorado legislators made the use and cultivation of cannabis a misdemeanor ; 1923 : Iowa, Oregon, Washington, and Vermont ban marijuana 1927 : New York, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, and Nebraska ban marijuana 1931 : Illinois bans marijuana. 1931 : Texas declared cannabis a `` narcotic '', allowing up to life sentences for possession. 1933 : North Dakota and Oklahoma ban marijuana. By this year, 29 states have criminalized cannabis. Decriminalization begins - 1973 1973 : Oregon became the first state to decriminalize cannabis -- reducing the penalty for up to one ounce to a $100 fine. 1973 : Texas law was amended to declare possession of four ounces or less a misdemeanor. 1975 : Alaska, Maine, Colorado, California, and Ohio decriminalized cannabis. 1975 : Alaska 's Supreme Court establishes that the right to privacy includes possession of small amounts of marijuana. 1976 : Minnesota decriminalized cannabis. 1977 : Mississippi, New York, and North Carolina decriminalized cannabis. South Dakota also decriminalized cannabis, but the laws was repealed almost immediately afterwards. 1978 : Nebraska decriminalized cannabis. No other state would decriminalize until 2001. 1978 : New Mexico passes the Controlled Substances Therapeutic Research Act, becoming the first state to enact legislation recognizing the medical value of marijuana. Over 30 other states would pass limited medical cannabis measures during the next few years. 1979 : Virginia passed legislation allowing doctors to recommend cannabis for glaucoma or the side effects of chemotherapy. 1982 : Alaska passes legislation to further decrease penalties for cannabis. 1990 : Alaska re-criminalizes cannabis by voter initiative, restoring criminal penalties for possession of any amount of cannabis. Medical cannabis begins - 1996 1996 : California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis with the approval of Proposition 215. Arizona also passed a medical cannabis ballot measure, but it was rendered ineffective on a technicality. 1998 : Oregon, Alaska, and Washington all legalized medical cannabis through ballot measure. Nevada also passed a medical cannabis initiative, but it required second approval in 2000 to become law. 1999 : Maine legalized medical cannabis through ballot measure. 2000 : Hawaii became the first state to legalize medical cannabis through state legislature. 2000 : Nevada and Colorado legalized medical cannabis through ballot measure. 2001 : Nevada decriminalized cannabis through state legislature. 2003 : Maryland passed legislation establishing reduced penalties for persons using cannabis due to a medical necessity ( as established at trial ). 2004 : Vermont legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2004 : Montana legalized medical cannabis through ballot measure. 2006 : Rhode Island legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2007 : New Mexico legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2008 : Michigan legalized medical cannabis through ballot measure. 2008 : Massachusetts decriminalized cannabis through ballot measure. 2010 : New Jersey legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2010 : Arizona legalized medical cannabis through ballot measure. 2010 : California legislators reduce penalties for cannabis to a civil infraction. 2011 : Delaware legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2011 : Connecticut decriminalized cannabis through state legislature. 2012 : Connecticut legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2012 : Rhode Island decriminalized cannabis through state legislature. 2012 : Massachusetts legalized medical cannabis through ballot measure. Recreational legalization begins - 2012 2012 : Colorado and Washington become the first two states to legalize the recreational use of cannabis, following the passage of Amendment 64 and Initiative 502. 2013 : Vermont decriminalized cannabis through state legislature. 2013 : New Hampshire legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2013 : Illinois legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2014 : Utah became the first state to enact a low - THC, high - CBD medical cannabis law. 2014 : Maryland legislators decriminalized cannabis and approved a comprehensive medical cannabis law, expanding the very limited measure that was passed in 2003. 2014 : Missouri decriminalized cannabis through state legislature. 2014 : Minnesota legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2014 : New York legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2014 : Alaska and Oregon legalized recreational cannabis through ballot measure. 2014 : By the end of the year, ten more states followed Utah in legalizing low - THC, high - CBD cannabis oil : Alabama, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Tennessee, Iowa, South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, and Missouri. 2015 : Delaware decriminalized cannabis through state legislature. 2015 : Louisiana legislators passed a limited medical cannabis law. 2015 : During the year, six more states legalized low - THC, high - CBD cannabis oil : Virginia, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, Delaware, and Wyoming. 2016 : Pennsylvania legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2016 : Ohio legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2016 : Illinois decriminalized cannabis through state legislature. 2016 : California, Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts legalized recreational cannabis through ballot measure. 2016 : Arkansas, Florida, and North Dakota legalized medical cannabis through ballot measure. 2017 : West Virginia legalized medical cannabis through state legislature. 2017 : Indiana legalized low - THC, high - CBD cannabis oil. 2017 : New Hampshire decriminalized cannabis through state legislature. 2018 : Vermont became the first state to legalize recreational cannabis by way of state legislature. 2018 : Oklahoma legalized medical cannabis through ballot measure. Municipal 1906 : Washington, D.C. requires a prescription for cannabis drugs. 1915 : El Paso, Texas restricts cannabis. 1972 : Ann Arbor City Council decriminalized cannabis, reducing the penalty to a $5 fine. The law was overturned by a Republican - led council a year later, but reinstated through voter referendum in 1974. 1977 : Madison, Wisconsin decriminalized cannabis through ballot initiative. 1978 : San Francisco residents approved Proposition W, a non-binding measure directing city law enforcement to `` cease the arrest and prosecution of individuals involved in the cultivation, transfer, or possession of marijuana ''. Mayor George Moscone was assassinated shortly afterwards, however, and the initiative was disregarded by new mayor Dianne Feinstein. 1991 : San Francisco residents approved the non-binding Proposition P in support of the medical use of cannabis. The city Board of Supervisors followed with Resolution 141 - 92 in 1992, which allowed for the distribution of medical cannabis throughout the city. 1998 : Washington, D.C. voters approved Initiative 59 to legalize medical cannabis, but the Barr amendment blocked implementation until 2009, with the first legal sales finally occurring in 2013. 2003 : Seattle residents voted to make enforcement of cannabis laws the lowest priority. 2004 : Oakland, California residents approved Measure Z, making private adult cannabis offenses the lowest possible priority for law enforcement, establishing a system to regulate, tax, and sell cannabis pending state legalization, and urging legalization on the state and national levels. 2005 : Denver residents voted to legalize cannabis. 2006 : San Francisco made enforcement of cannabis laws the lowest priority. The change was approved through a Board of Supervisors vote. 2009 : Breckenridge, Colorado residents voted to legalize cannabis. 2012 : Chicago decriminalized cannabis through a City Council vote. 2012 : Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Flint residents voted to decriminalize cannabis. 2013 : Portland, Maine residents voted to legalize cannabis. 2014 : Philadelphia decriminalized cannabis through a City Council vote. 2014 : Washington, D.C. City Council decriminalized cannabis in July, and residents voted in November to legalize recreational marijuana with 69 % in favor. A congressional rider prevented D.C. from permitting retail marijuana stores. On February 26, 2015, marijuana became legal in D.C. for adults aged 21 and over to possess, gift, and grow, but not to sell. 2014 : New York City decriminalized cannabis through a new policy announced by city officials. 2015 : Wichita, Kansas decriminalized cannabis through voter referendum. 2015 : Miami - Dade commissioners voted to decriminalize cannabis. 2015 : Toledo, Ohio residents voted to decriminalize possession of cannabis less than 200 grams. 2015 : Pittsburgh decriminalized cannabis through a City Council vote. 2016 : Tampa decriminalized cannabis through a City Council vote. 2016 : New Orleans decriminalized cannabis through a City Council vote. 2016 : Orlando decriminalized cannabis through a City Council vote. 2016 : Nashville decriminalized cannabis through a Metro Council vote. 2016 : Memphis decriminalized cannabis through a City Council vote. 2016 : Residents in the Ohio cities of Bellaire, Logan, Newark, and Roseville voted to decriminalize possession of cannabis less than 200 grams. 2017 : Houston decriminalized cannabis through a new policy announced by the city 's district attorney. 2017 : Kansas City, Missouri residents voted to decriminalize cannabis, eliminating jail time for possession of 35 grams or less and reducing the penalty to a $25 fine. 2017 : Atlanta decriminalized possession of one ounce or less of cannabis via unanimous City Council vote. 2018 : Albuquerque decriminalized cannabis through a City Council vote. Territory 2014 : Guam legalized medical cannabis. 2014 : U.S. Virgin Islands decriminalized cannabis. 2015 : Puerto Rico legalized medical cannabis by executive order. Indian reservations 2014 : The U.S. Justice Department announced a policy to allow recognized Indian tribes to legalize cannabis on their lands. The laws on reservations are allowed to be different from state and federal laws, and as with states that have legalized cannabis the federal government will not intervene as long as strict controls are maintained. Some domestic nations such as the Yakama Nation and the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council rejected legalization on their reservations. 2015 : The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe ( South Dakota ) voted to legalize recreational cannabis on its reservation. 2015 : The Squaxin Island Tribe in the Puget Sound area legalized and opened the United States ' first tribal retail cannabis sales shop on their trust lands. Suquamish Tribe followed later in the same year. 2015 : The Pinoleville Pomo Nation in California announced a plan to grow cannabis and sell it to California medical dispensaries. 2016 : The Puyallup Tribe made legal arrangements with the State of Washington to grow its own medical cannabis. Opinion Presidential 1977 : Jimmy Carter became the first sitting president to endorse cannabis decriminalization. 2015 : President Barack Obama declared his support of cannabis decriminalization but opposition to legalization. Public 1969 : Gallup begins to poll public support for legalizing cannabis. The initial poll showed 12 % in favor. 1973 : General Social Survey conducted its first poll on legalizing cannabis, showing 19 % in favor. 1977 : Gallup reported 28 % support for the legalization of cannabis, a number that would not be surpassed until 2000. 2011 : Gallup reported 50 % support for legalizing cannabis. 2013 : Pew Research reported 52 % and Gallup 58 % in support of legalizing cannabis. In both polls, a majority of respondents supported legalization for the first time. 2017 : Gallup 's annual poll showed 64 % support for the legalization of cannabis, including a majority of Republicans for the first time. 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External links Historical Timeline of Marijuana as Medicine ( ProCon.org ) Milestones in U.S. Marijuana Laws ( New York Times ) Legality of cannabis in the United States Legalized Alaska California Colorado District of Columbia Maine Massachusetts Nevada Oregon Vermont Washington Decriminalized Connecticut Delaware Illinois Maryland Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Nebraska New Hampshire New York North Carolina Ohio Rhode Island U.S. Virgin Islands Medical status Medical cannabis Arizona Arkansas Connecticut Delaware Florida Guam Hawaii Illinois Louisiana Maryland Michigan Minnesota Montana New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island West Virginia CBD oil only Alabama Georgia Indiana Iowa Kentucky Mississippi Missouri North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Illegal American Samoa Idaho Kansas Northern Mariana Islands South Dakota Cases Leary v. United States ( 1969 ) Ravin v. State ( 1975 ) Conant v. McCaffrey ( 2000 ) United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers ' Cooperative ( 2001 ) Gonzales v. Raich ( 2005 ) Moncrieffe v. Holder ( 2013 ) Related topics Legal history Timeline Medical Non-medical Legality by jurisdiction Rescheduling Dispensaries Cannabis on American Indian reservations Congressional Cannabis Caucus Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 Politicians who have admitted use STATES Act Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Timeline_of_cannabis_laws_in_the_United_States&oldid=847977114 '' Categories : Cannabis law reform by year Cannabis law in the United States Cannabis in the United States Society - related timelines History of cannabis by country Cannabis law reform in the United States Drug policy of the United States Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from April 2016 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 29 June 2018, at 01 : 34 ( UTC ). 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Question: when did the first state legalize recreational weed
Answer: 2012