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Recreational Cannabis Legalization Begins This Week in Three States

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Recreational Cannabis Legalization Begins This Week in Three States

New Mexico, Virginia, and Connecticut all legalize recreational cannabis this week for citizens 21 and over. However, each state is handling recreational cannabis legalization differently. 

New Mexico

The first of the states to legalize recreational cannabis is New Mexico. In early April, Governor Michele Lujan Grisham (D) signed HB 2, a recreational cannabis legalization bill created during a special session. Under this bill, citizens 21 and older can possess up to two ounces of cannabis or 16 grams of concentrate. Citizens can also grow up to 12 plants in their house at one time. Six of those plants are allowed to be mature. 

Legalization began June 29. Governor Grisham took to Twitter to break down what recreational cannabis means for the state and where its future lies. Over the past couple of months, a few DEA agents have expressed concern surrounding legalization and what it means for surrounding states. But Governor Grisham is determined to give the people what they, and she, want. While legalization has begun, legal sales from licensed dispensaries won’t begin until April of next year. 

Virginia 

One of the earliest states to legalize recreational cannabis this year was Virginia. Governor Ralph Northam (D) had been pushing for cannabis legalization since the beginning of the year. He made legalization a priority for the state this year. At the urging of the governor, state lawmakers moved the legalization start date up to July 1, 2021. This is three years ahead of the original schedule. 

Under Virginia law, citizens 21 and over can possess up to one ounce of cannabis and can grow up to four plants in their home if they are out of view from the general public. Even though legalization begins July first, legal sales won’t begin until 2024.

Connecticut

This state only passed its legalization bill on June 22, also during a special session. Now Connecticut citizens can reap the benefits of a quick legalization turn around. Also beginning July 1, citizens 21 and over in Connecticut can possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis. However, unlike New Mexico and Virginia, Connecticut won’t allow home growth of cannabis right away. In October of this year, medical cannabis patients can begin growing up to six plants for personal use. Recreational home growth won’t begin until 2023, once the cannabis commission has been created and legal sales begin in 2022.

Governor Ned Lamont (D) has also been advocating for cannabis legalization since the beginning of the year and worked for weeks with lawmakers to create the best legalization bill the state could. Governor Lamont and lawmakers made social equity a key factor, as it has been for several states as they take legalization efforts into account. 

Failed Legalization

In addition to these three states currently moving forward with cannabis legalization, New York will allow recreational cannabis possession sometime later this year. Other states, however, saw legalization efforts die as their legislative sessions came to a close. Those include: Hawaii, Maryland, Delaware, Louisiana, Minnesota and North Dakota

Reform is happening all over the country and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.

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