when did recreational marijuana become legal in colorado?
By Brady Dennis and Ariana Eunjung Cha By Brady Dennis and Ariana Eunjung Cha January 2, 2014. On Wednesday, Colorado became the first state to allow legal sales of marijuana for recreational use. Washington state will do the same this year, and other states might follow suit. Here are answers to some basic questions about marijuana, its effects on the body and the issues raised by legalization: