Drug Policy
Marijuana Laws by State: All 50 States Ranked on Drug Freedom
Cannabis policy splits the country: some states have legal adult-use markets and broad decriminalization, while others still impose criminal penalties for simple possession. This ranking scores all 50 states on drug-policy freedom — folding in recreational and medical marijuana legality, decriminalization, and possession penalties — so you can see where the law treats personal drug choices most leniently.
Score reflects recreational and medical marijuana legality, decriminalization, and the severity of possession penalties. Darker green = stronger; click any state for its full breakdown.
All 50 states ranked
- 1MTMontana9.5A+
- 2AZArizona9.5A+
- 3MOMissouri9.5A+
- 4MNMinnesota9.5A+
- 5MEMaine9.5A+
- 6VTVermont9.5A+
- 7NVNevada9.5A+
- 8AKAlaska9.5A+
- 9MIMichigan9.5A+
- 10OHOhio9.5A+
- 11MDMaryland9.5A+
- 12NMNew Mexico9.5A+
- 13RIRhode Island9.5A+
- 14COColorado9.5A+
- 15CTConnecticut9.5A+
- 16WAWashington9.5A+
- 17ILIllinois9.5A+
- 18OROregon9.5A+
- 19NJNew Jersey9.5A+
- 20MAMassachusetts9.5A+
- 21CACalifornia9.5A+
- 22DEDelaware9.5A+
- 23NYNew York9.5A+
- 24VAVirginia8.0A-
- 25NHNew Hampshire6.5B-
- 26NDNorth Dakota6.5B-
- 27LALouisiana6.5B-
- 28MSMississippi6.5B-
- 29UTUtah5.5C
- 30SDSouth Dakota5.5C
- 31FLFlorida5.5C
- 32OKOklahoma5.5C
- 33WVWest Virginia5.5C
- 34ALAlabama5.5C
- 35PAPennsylvania5.5C
- 36ARArkansas5.5C
- 37KYKentucky5.5C
- 38HIHawaii5.5C
- 39NCNorth Carolina4.5D+
- 40NENebraska4.5D+
- 41INIndiana3.0F
- 42TNTennessee3.0F
- 43TXTexas3.0F
- 44GAGeorgia3.0F
- 45IAIowa3.0F
- 46WIWisconsin3.0F
- 47WYWyoming1.0F
- 48IDIdaho1.0F
- 49KSKansas1.0F
- 50SCSouth Carolina1.0F
Further reading
Where Is Weed Legal? Recreational & Medical Marijuana by State (2026)
Recreational marijuana is now legal in 24 states plus DC, with most others allowing medical use. Here is the full map of where weed is legal in 2026 — and where it still isn’t.
Marijuana Decriminalization States (2026)
Decriminalization isn’t the same as legalization. A set of states have removed criminal penalties for small amounts of marijuana without opening a legal market — here’s who, and what it means.
Psilocybin Legal States: Where Magic Mushrooms Are Legal (2026)
Psilocybin therapy is moving from the fringe to the statehouse. A handful of states now license supervised use — here’s where it’s legal, how the programs work, and what’s still illegal.
Is Kratom Legal? State-by-State Laws (2026)
Kratom is legal under federal law and in most states — but a handful ban it outright, and more regulate it. Here’s where it’s banned, where it’s regulated, and what’s changing.
Common questions
Which states have the most permissive marijuana laws?
Montana ranks #1 for drug-policy freedom, scoring 9.5/10 — typically a state with a legal adult-use market, broad decriminalization, and low possession penalties. The full ranking is above.
Where is recreational marijuana legal?
As of 2026, 24 states plus Washington, D.C. allow recreational (adult-use) marijuana. Most remaining states permit medical marijuana in some form, and only about a dozen still prohibit it outright.
Which states have the strictest drug laws?
South Carolina ranks lowest on drug-policy freedom, reflecting no legal cannabis market and harsher possession penalties.
Where does the drug-policy data come from?
The drug-policy score draws on NORML’s state-by-state assessments and related sources, scoring legality, decriminalization, and penalties. See the methodology page for details.