19 US states could legalize cannabis use by 2020

2020 could be the most important year for cannabis law reform in the USA. So far, 11 states have legalized cannabis and 33 allow its medical use. Next year, at least 19 states could legalize the medical and/or recreational use of cannabis.

State legalization

Vermont

The State of Vermont was the first to legalize cannabis in 2018, without setting up a distribution system. The law only legalized possession and home cultivation for adults, while prohibiting sales and production. Campaigners continued to push for the law to be extended to regulate cannabis like alcohol, including commercial cultivation and sales to people over 21.

The Vermont Senate will have another chance to legalize when the legislative session resumes in early 2020. Vermont could thus become the second state to legalize by a legislative initiative after Illinois.

New Mexico

The House of Representatives of the New Mexico has already adopted a bill to legalize cannabis. With the President of the Senate now open to the idea, the Land of Enchantment could soon legalize cannabis. The legislative session is quite short, 30 days from January.

New York

New York has almost legalized cannabis in 2019, and the only decriminalized time to concoct a regulatory framework that wins consensus. With the foundations already laid, discussions will resume rapidly in 2020.

Other countries to watch.

The Governor of Connecticut has already expressed a positive opinion on the legalization of cannabis. At Pennsylvania, the Gouverneur made the same observation, but does not have a majority in the state parliament. The lack of parliamentary traction in both states makes passage of legislation in 2020 uncertain.

The Governor of Rhode Island, Gina Raimondo, also expressed her desire to move forward on the subject. She had included a proposal to legalize cannabis in the 2019 budget bill, but the General Assembly had declined. Gina Raimondo announced her intention to put it back in the budget in 2020. The President of the Senate has already opposite to the project, preferring a better application of the medical cannabis program.

Legalization by referendum

New Jersey

New Jersey will vote to legalize cannabis on November 20, 2020. The state narrowly failed to legalize this year and decided to present the bill via a «constitutional amendment by legislative means», a referendum in which the text is carried by the legislator rather than by citizens.

There will still be a campaign to win votes, even though 62% of the population is already in favor of the project.

Arizona

Arizona had failed to legalize in 2016, with 48.7% votes in favor. The state will have another chance in 2020, spearheaded by local association Smart and Safe Arizona. In addition to growing national support for cannabis, Arizona is surrounded by California, Nevada and Colorado, which have already legalized cannabis, and New Mexico and Mexico, which have a strong chance of legalizing in 2020.

Florida

Two initiatives aim to legalize cannabis in 2020. They must submit 766,000 valid signatures by January 1 to qualify for the referendum. If they both qualify, they will have to campaign against each other, and win more than 60% referendum votes to pass.

Edit of 20/12: Sensible Florida, one of the two initiatives, has announced the suspension of his campaign.

Kentucky

Kentucky is one of the last American states without medical cannabis. A draft law submitted by Cluster Howard MP hopes to legalize cannabis for adults over 21, with a framework for regulating and taxing sales, with the aim of financing public pension funds and repairing the damage done by prohibition.

Montana

Montana legalized medical cannabis in 2004, and opened up its medical cannabis program a bit more in 2016. Funding a pro-legalization campaign has already been secured by the association New Montana Approach.

Ohio

Ohio has legalized medical cannabis in 2016. 2020 will be a good opportunity to bring legalization for adult voting, with a majority of residents already in favor.

Arkansas

Two groups try currently to put cannabis legalization initiatives to the 2020 vote. Medical cannabis was legalized in 2016, with 53% of the vote. Should both initiatives be put to the vote, passage of one of them looks complicated.

Idaho

The association Idaho Cannabis Coalition is collecting signatures for a medical cannabis initiative and needs 55,057 signatures by May 1, 2020 to appear on the ballot.

Missouri

A group has submitted a signature request for a legalization initiative. As the text does not appear to have any age restrictions or other regulations, passage seems highly unlikely.

Mississippi

The association Mississippians for Compassionate Care has already submitted enough signatures to qualify a medical cannabis initiative for the November ballot, although they have yet to be verified by the state.

Nebraska

Like Idaho and Mississippi, Nebraska is one of the last American states without a medical cannabis program. Two initiatives are getting ready, one for recreational use and the other for medical use.

North Dakota

A signature campaign has begun to legalize cannabis. Arkansas legalizes medical cannabis in 2016.

South Dakota

Two groups are trying to put medical cannabis on the ballot, one aiming for a constitutional amendment, the other simply a change in status.

Wisconsin

The game is not up in this state, where the Senate majority leader opposes medical cannabis. Two legislators still tabled a bill, as in every legislature for the past 10 years. 83% of the state's population supports access to medical cannabis.

Decriminalization in Indiana

Indiana is one of the least advanced states when it comes to cannabis policy. With the governor blocking any legalization plans, senators have prepared a bill to decriminalize cannabis. Possession of less than an ounce (28g) of cannabis would become a misdemeanor punishable by a small fine and, above all, no prison sentence.