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California
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New Ranking: 1
Old Ranking: 1
Change: 0
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California remains No. 1 as the largest cannabis market in the nation. While the state’s regulatory scheme has hit some stumbling blocks, California’s experience with regulation, history of cannabis acceptance and lack of criminal and civil restrictions on possession and sale keep the state in the top spot.
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Nevada
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New Ranking: 2
Old Ranking: 2
Change: 0
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Nevada’s long history of legalization and permissive licensing approach to medical cannabis allow the state to narrowly hold onto the second spot in our rankings.
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Colorado
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New Ranking: 3
Old Ranking: 4
Change: +1
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Colorado continues to expand its permissive approach to cannabis, and Massachusetts has been a bit slow to implement its legalization scheme. The two states are very close.
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Massachusetts
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New Ranking: 4
Old Ranking: 3
Change: -1
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Although Massachusetts has yet to open dispensaries in some urban areas, the overall reaction to the state’s adult use legalization has been promising.
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Oregon
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New Ranking: 5
Old Ranking: 5
Change: 0
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Too much of a good thing? Oregon’s marijuana surplus is likely merely a market correction, but an overcrowded market has made it more difficult to succeed in the commercial environment. From a legal standpoint, the state is still among the most progressive in the nation.
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Illinois
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New Ranking: 6
Old Ranking: 18
Change: +12
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Illinois skyrockets up our rankings because of HB 1438, the 2019 bill that legalized adult use in the state. With its permissive laws for visitors and intelligently constructed plan to make medical dispensaries the first adult use dispensaries, the state seems primed for an effective transition and the opportunity to bring in massive business from neighboring states.
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Michigan
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New Ranking: 7
Old Ranking: 6
Change: -1
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Despite adopting the legalization of adult use in 2018, Michigan is behind Illinois in its regulatory approach, and recreational sales must wait for 2020. A slower approach is not necessarily a problem, but the state is squarely behind Illinois at this time.
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Maine
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New Ranking: 8
Old Ranking: 9
Change: +1
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When we last checked in, Maine was on the verge of adult use legalization. Gov. Janet Mills has since signed a bill launching adult use sales in 2020. Maine’s regulatory approach is quite restrictive, and many questions remain, but the state is moving in a clear direction.
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Alaska
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New Ranking: 9
Old Ranking: 7
Change: -2
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Not much has changed in Alaska, but the state offers recreational use and seems open to expanding public use of marijuana.
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Washington
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New Ranking: 10
Old Ranking: 8
Change: -2
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Although Washington features legal adult use, its regulatory approach is restrictive and there are significant questions about the relative health of its cannabis industry.
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Vermont
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New Ranking: 11
Old Ranking: 15
Change: +4
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Vermont legalized adult use in 2018, and is slowly moving towards a regulated industry and retail sales, but not quite as quickly as other states who have embraced legalization more comprehensively.
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New Mexico
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New Ranking: 12
Old Ranking: 16
Change: +4
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With a governor motivated to usher in adult use, and lawmakers behind her, New Mexico has a good chance of being the next state to legalize adult use marijuana.
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Maryland
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New Ranking: 13
Old Ranking: 14
Change: +1
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Maryland’s robust medical marijuana regulations and strong bipartisan support for adult use legislation make it one of the states to watch in the next few years.
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District of Columbia
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New Ranking: 14
Old Ranking: 10
Change: -4
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In D.C. cannabis is legal for adult and medical use, but commercial sale is still prohibited, and possession on federal lands remains illegal.
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Pennsylvania
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New Ranking: 15
Old Ranking: 22
Change: +7
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Like New Mexico, Pennsylvania has a legislature and governor in support of adult use, and a significant budget gap that may motivate legislative action. Stay tuned.
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New Jersey
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New Ranking: 16
Old Ranking: 13
Change: -3
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Gov. Phil Murphy supports legislation and the legislature is also controlled by Democrats who may be motivated to advance the governor’s agenda. A promising state of affairs.
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New York
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New Ranking: 17
Old Ranking: 11
Change: -6
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New York’s famously slow political process drops the state five spots from last year, and the complications of regulation in the country’s largest city present challenges to any potential adult use legalization.
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Hawaii
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New Ranking: 18
Old Ranking: 17
Change: -1
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Although Hawaii’s current governor does not favor adult use legalization, the state has a long history of supporting medical cannabis.
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Connecticut
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New Ranking: 19
Old Ranking: 20
Change: +1
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Influenced by adult use legalization in Massachusetts, Connecticut lawmakers have been making noises about passing such legislation, although it would likely not happen until 2020 at the earliest.
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Rhode Island
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New Ranking: 20
Old Ranking: 29
Change: +9
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Rhode Island’s rise is half due to inactivity in the states ahead of it, and half due to Gov. Gina Raimondo’s support of the legalization of adult use. The state is still behind some of its New England neighbors on this front.
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Louisiana
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New Ranking: 21
Old Ranking: 34
Change: +13
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Democratic legislators have been pushing the legalization of adult use in 2018 and 2019, and the state seems poised to be the first southern state to legalize adult use. Questions still linger about how quickly that might happen, however.
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New Hampshire
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New Ranking: 22
Old Ranking: 31
Change: +9
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New Hampshire may be headed for a full vote on adult use legalization next year, and the Democratic party in the state has made legalization part of their platform.
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Montana
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New Ranking: 23
Old Ranking: 19
Change: -4
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Although legislative efforts have failed on adult use, Montana has fairly lenient medical marijuana laws.
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Florida
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New Ranking: 24
Old Ranking: 12
Change: -12
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While Florida’s legalization of medical marijuana was an important step, Republican lawmakers seem actively hostile to adult use legalization.
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Minnesota
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New Ranking: 25
Old Ranking: 27
Change: +2
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A very strict approach to legal medical marijuana is counter-balanced by a governor who supports the legalization of adult use.
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Ohio
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New Ranking: 26
Old Ranking: 33
Change: +7
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Although a ballot initiative to legalize adult use cannabis failed in 2015, and Ohio has been slow to expand the availability of medical marijuana, the state looks poised to legalize CBD sales.
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Oklahoma
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New Ranking: 27
Old Ranking: 28
Change: +1
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Oklahoma’s slight bump is due to the expansion of its medical marijuana program, but there appears to be no appetite for adult use legalization at this time.
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Arkansas
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New Ranking: 28
Old Ranking: 23
Change: -5
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Although 2019 saw Arkansas put in place a relatively lenient medical marijuana scheme, nothing indicates adult use legalization is likely to occur in the next decade.
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North Dakota
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New Ranking: 29
Old Ranking: 24
Change: -5
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North Dakota gets credit for a progressive medical use program, but the state’s stiff criminal possession penalties are troubling while other states move towards decriminalization.
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Arizona
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New Ranking: 30
Old Ranking: 25
Change: -5
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Arizona’s medical marijuana program will be a decade old next year, but strong corporate lobbying defeated a 2016 ballot initiative that would have legalized adult use.
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Delaware
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New Ranking: 31
Old Ranking: 26
Change: -5
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Delaware’s governor, John Carney, is a determined opponent of adult use legalization. The state’s medical marijuana program is extremely small.
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West Virginia
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New Ranking: 32
Old Ranking: 21
Change: -11
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The slow development of the state’s medical marijuana program, and restrictive regulatory approach drops it ten places from last year’s rankings.
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Missouri
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New Ranking: 33
Old Ranking: 30
Change: -3
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Missouri legalized medical cannabis in 2018, but has been slow to implement their program.
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Utah
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New Ranking: 34
Old Ranking: 32
Change: -2
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Utah legalized medical marijuana in 2018, and the current anti-adult use legalization governor is not running for reelection in 2020. Still, the state’s conservative approach to drugs and alcohol may be the bigger obstacle to adult use legalization.
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Texas
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New Ranking: 35
Old Ranking: 45
Change: +10
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Republican legislators have taken a common-sense approach in expanding the state’s medical marijuana program, resulting in a solid jump from last year.
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Wyoming
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New Ranking: 36
Old Ranking: 38
Change: +2
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Wyoming’s restrictive approach at least makes exceptions for CBD. A favorable public view of medical and adult use legalization give reason to think the state is ahead of others with such laws.
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Kentucky
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New Ranking: 37
Old Ranking: 41
Change: +4
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Kentucky has yet to legalize medical use, but bipartisan efforts to bring recent legislation inspire some optimism.
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Georgia
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New Ranking: 38
Old Ranking: 46
Change: +8
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New legislation has expanded the state’s restrictive medical cannabis program.
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Mississippi
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New Ranking: 39
Old Ranking: 46
Change: +8
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Slow momentum towards expansion of the state’s marijuana laws accounts for its rise in our rankings, as well as groups determined to get an initiative on the ballot in what may be a favorable electoral climate.
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Iowa
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New Ranking: 40
Old Ranking: 36
Change: -4
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Pro: Iowa’s Republican House was willing to expand the state’s extremely limited medical marijuana program. Con: Governor Kim Reynolds voted the legislation down. Pro: Iowa allows CBD. Con: There does not appear to be much support in the state for adult use legalization at this time.
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Virginia
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New Ranking: 41
Old Ranking: 44
Change: +3
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Virginia allows CBD use, but has not embraced decriminalization. A new governor in 2021 could alter the state’s landscape.
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Alabama
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New Ranking: 42
Old Ranking: 35
Change: -7
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A medical marijuana bill died in the committee phase, and Alabama has been slow to adopt decriminalization.
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Wisconsin
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New Ranking: 43
Old Ranking: 39
Change: -4
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Wisconsin does permit the production of industrial hemp, but otherwise CBD requires a written certification, and other use is illegal.
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Kansas
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New Ranking: 44
Old Ranking: 49
Change: +5
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Although Kansas is a long way from permitting medical marijuana usage, the state’s governor is a supporter. CBD is now permitted in the state, although it must contain zero THC.
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Indiana
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New Ranking: 45
Old Ranking: 40
Change: -5
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Indiana has not legalized any type of marijuana, and the current governor is strongly opposed to the legalization of both adult use and medical marijuana.
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South Carolina
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New Ranking: 46
Old Ranking: 42
Change: -4
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South Carolina permits very limited use of CBD, but is otherwise regressive when it comes to legalization for any purpose.
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Tennessee
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New Ranking: 47
Old Ranking: 43
Change: -4
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Tennessee allows CBD with severe restrictions, but medical cannabis advocates have not been able to get traction in the legislature.
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North Carolina
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New Ranking: 48
Old Ranking: 37
Change: -11
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North Carolina has not even touched on adult use legalization, and chances of the state legalizing medical marijuana appear bleak.
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South Dakota
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New Ranking: 49
Old Ranking: 48
Change: -1
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While CBD is permitted in South Dakota, the state’s draconian restrictions in their criminal law as other states decriminalize possession keep it near the basement of our list.
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Idaho
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New Ranking: 50
Old Ranking: 51
Change: +1
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Little progress in this state, but at least new Gov. Brad Little supports limited access to CBD.
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Nebraska
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New Ranking: 51
Old Ranking: 50
Change: -1
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Nebraska’s intensely strict prohibitions on cannabis remain in place.
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