The history of cannabis legalization in the United States and around the world has evolved dramatically over the past 100+ years. During the early 20th century, cannabis was commonly utilized for medicinal and industrial purposes, but as the 1930s arrived, anti-Voyages liés au cannabis sentiment grew rapidly, fueled by misinformation and racial prejudice. The 1937 Marihuana Tax Act effectively banned cannabis nationwide by imposing exorbitant fees and severe compliance rules. By the close of the 1960s, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act classified cannabis as a Category I controlled substance, placing it in the equivalent classification to heroin and LSD, with zero recognized therapeutic value and extreme abuse risk.
The longstanding federal position remained mostly static for decades, but local reform efforts began to challenge it. During the mid-90s, California became the first state to legalize cannabis for medical use with Patient Protection Act 215. Other states followed, including Vermont, Colorado, and Hawaii, each passing state-specific cannabis reform bills. The 2000s saw rising voter approval and an expanding number of states implementing medical cannabis programs.
The real turning point came in The early 2010s when Colorado and Washington became the first U.S. territories to approve adult-use marijuana through ballot initiatives. This marked the beginning of a wave of legalization across the country. By 2016, additional states like California, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Maine had passed laws for non-medical sales. In the final years of the 2010s, more states including Midwestern and Sun Belt states had adopted similar legislation.
In the meantime, the the federal administration has upheld its nationwide illegality, but actions have grown unpredictable. The congressional protection measure passed in 2014 shielded state programs with legally operating medical clinics. And in 2022, the the White House announced it would review cannabis’s Schedule I status and commute nonviolent marijuana sentences.
As of this year, more than half of the United States has allowed medical or recreational use, for health purposes or adult use. The Canadian federal government legalized recreational cannabis nationwide in That year, becoming the the first major Western nation after South America’s first mover to do so. Other nations such as European and Southeast Asian nations have also moved to legalize or reduce penalties.
Despite progress, challenges remain. Licensing and banking for dispensaries is still denied by major financial institutions, programs aimed at marginalized communities vary widely between states, and cross-border trade is still federally banned. Yet the prevailing direction shows a strong momentum toward normalized legal frameworks, reflecting changing public attitudes, scientific research, and economic opportunities.
