Seventy percent of Americans now support legalizing cannabis for adults’ use. Twenty-four states have legalized and regulated cannabis for individuals over 21, though some of the newer laws are still being implemented. Washington, D.C. voters also legalized cannabis for adults, but because D.C. cannot control its own budget, Congress has been able to block the District from taxing and regulating cannabis sales.
Learn more about legalization laws and how they are working, and find materials to make the case for allowing adults to use a substance that is safer than alcohol.
A conviction for possession of a small amount of cannabis can lead to a lifetime of harsh consequences (also called collateral sanctions). Discriminatory enforcement means these punitive collateral consequences disproportionately affect people of color. Cannabis legalization is a key component of broader criminal justice reform, and perhaps the most profound change being driven by the cannabis movement is in the area of criminal justice.
Learn more about the intersections among cannabis and criminal justice issues, including collateral sanctions, expungement, racial justice, enforcement and policing, and DUI/DWI laws.
In the U.S., someone is arrested for a cannabis offense every two minutes. More than ninety percent of these arrests are for cannabis possession alone — not for sale or manufacturing. There are more arrests for cannabis possession each year than for all violent crimes combined.
Thirty-one states and Washington, D.C. have enacted laws to stop jailing their residents for possession of small amounts of cannabis. In 24 of those states, cannabis is legal for adults 21 and older, while eight have “decriminalized” simple possession.
Learn more about cannabis decriminalization and the different state decriminalization laws.
Cannabis prohibition entails direct enforcement costs — including police, prosecutorial, judicial, and correctional resources — and prevents the taxation of cannabis production and sale. Cannabis legalization, on the other hand, offers tremendous financial benefits for state governments, and the revenues can be allocated for social good.
Learn more about cannabis and economic issues, including tax revenue, savings, industry growth, and equity.
Have questions? Find answers to common questions about cannabis use and health effects, consequences of cannabis prohibition, medical cannabis, and more.
In most states, the only way to reform cannabis laws is via the legislature. State legislatures across the country are considering new laws to legalize cannabis for adults, to adopt effective medical cannabis laws, or to replace possible jail time with fines for cannabis possession.
Learn more about current legislation being considered in state legislatures across the country, read about legislative updates and types of cannabis policy reform laws, and find MPP's model bills.
Polls consistently show the vast majority of Americans support allowing seriously ill patients to use cannabis for medical purposes with their doctors’ approval. The FDA and DEA have proposed rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III, which would acknowledge it has currently accepted medical use. But rescheduling would not make cannabis preparations an FDA-approved drug.
