History of Cannabis, 2001-present

2023

February 3, 2023, Missouri begins legal adult-use cannabis sales, and the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) begins accepting personal cultivation applications, a major landmark under Article XIV of the state’s cannabis law. Attorney Dan Viets, Missouri NORML Coordinator, co-author of Article XIV and Chair of the Legal Missouri Campaign Advisory Board, says, “Missouri NORML was especially concerned that the option for personal cultivation of cannabis be included in Article XIV. The option to grow for oneself is a fundamental right which has been part of legalization in the great majority of the 20 other states which have now taken the historic step of repealing the criminal prohibition of responsible adult marijuana use.” 

As part of Missouri’s legalization process, 5,205 people have previous marijuana convictions expunged.

January 23, 2023, Smacked Village opens in the West Village as New York’s first Black-owned, social equity adult-use licensed cannabis dispensary. Owner Roland Conner is part of the state’s Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program and had a prior cannabis conviction due to his participation in the legacy market. 

January 10, 2023, Connecticut begins adult-use legal cannabis sales. The legalization of adult use cannabis in Connecticut can expect to see the cannabis industry bringing in new jobs, economic growth and reinvestment into neighborhoods that have been impacted by the War on Drugs.

January 3, 2023, The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy sends a report to Congress highlighting law enforcement’s criticism of state cannabis laws, including concerns about high-potency edibles, trafficking into non-legal states and environmental pollution from cannabis grows.

2022

December 29, 2022, Long-running nonprofit Housing Works opens Housing Works Cannabis Co, the first adult-use legal dispensary in New York State. Housing Works is one of 8 nonprofit organizations to receive the initial Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licenses.

December 8, 2022, WNBA player Brittney Griner is released from prison in Russia; President Joseph Biden trades her release for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

December 2, 2022, President Joseph Biden signs the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act into law, the first standalone marijuana bill passed by both the House and Senate. The act requires the DEA to register researchers and suppliers of medical cannabis for medical research, and creates a mechanism for the FDA to approve medicines derived from the cannabis plant. It also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the medical utility of cannabis and the Attorney General to conduct an annual review to ensure that cannabis is being produced for research purposes.

November 20, 2022, New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) publishes its Adult Use Cannabis Proposed Regulations for public comment, including relevant definitions, municipal rulemaking, the cannabis application and licensure process, social equity and economic equity rules, cannabis license specific authorizations, requirements and prohibitions, general business and operating requirements and prohibitions, and severability. The regulations cover ten different marijuana license categories, including nursery, cultivator, processor, distributor, retail dispensary, microbusiness, cooperative, registered organization cultivator, processor, and distributor (non-dispensing) (“ROND”), registered organization adult-use cultivator, processor, and distributor retail dispensary (“ROD”), and delivery licenses. The proposed regulations are anticipated to become effective in early 2023. 

November 15, 2022, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signs Executive Order 2022-798 allowing people with certain medical conditions and in need of palliative care to use medical cannabis, although there is still no official cannabis program or legislation in the state. 

November 8, 2022, Missouri votes to legalize adult-use recreational cannabis. The legalization of adult-use recreational cannabis in Missouri is designed to allow users, 21 years of age or older, to purchase, possess, consume, use, deliver, and manufacture cannabis for personal use. Individuals who were convicted of nonviolent cannabis related offenses will be able to petition to be released from incarceration and / or have their records expunged.

November 8, 2022, Maryland votes to legalize adult-use recreational cannabis. Persons 21 years of age or older will be allowed to possess and use cannabis. This legalization of marijuana in Maryland will also establish a process for expunging cases for individuals who have been convicted in which possession of less than 10 grams was the only charge.

November 4, 2022, P Diddy announces deal to create the largest Black-owned cannabis company through a $185 million investment and purchase of Cresco Labs and Columbia Care, giving the rapper nine retail stores and three production facilities in New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois

October 26, 2022, German government introduces plans to create a framework for cannabis legalization. The legalization of recreational cannabis in Germany would make it legal for adults to purchase and own up to 30g and would allow consumers to grow up to three plants. “If this law comes to pass, it would be the most liberal project to legalise cannabis in Europe, but also the most regulated market… It could be a model for Europe,” says Karl Lauterbach, Germany’s Federal Minister for Health.

October 21, 2022, Charlotte's Web company becomes the first CBD supplier to sign an official contract with Major League Baseball. With a multi-year partnership formed between Charlotte’s Web and MLB, this is the first appearance of any form of cannabis making a legal appearance in a major professional sports league.

October 12, 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams appoints Dasheeda Dawson as Founding Director of Cannabis NYC,  the initiative run through the City’s Department of Small Business Services to support the emerging legal cannabis industry.

October 6, 2022, President Joseph Biden pardons all people convicted federally of simple marijuana possession. While this doesn’t release anyone incarcerated on cannabis charges, the pardons do impact approximately 6,500 people nationwide.

September 1, 2022, Alabama’s Medical Cannabis Commission begins accepting applications for medical cannabis business licenses. The applications for medical cannabis business licenses in Alabama will allow applications for various cannabis license types including cultivator licensing, cannabis processing licensing, cannabis dispensary licensing, cannabis delivery licensing and more.

August 26, 2022, Oklahoma Legislature passes House Bill 3208, which puts a two-year moratorium on the awarding of new licenses to cannabis growers, cannabis processors or cannabis dispensaries.

August 17, 2022, Guyanese Parliament approves industrial hemp legislation. This new law allows Guyana to create the Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority, allowing the issuance of licenses for companies or individuals to cultivate hemp and manufacture hemp products.

August 12, 2022, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signs a comprehensive package of cannabis reform bills for the state, including the permanent implementation of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, new social equity and expungement provisions, and an alteration of the state tax code that allows cannabis businesses to write off expenses as other businesses do.

July 1, 2022, Minnesota passes legislation making THC-infused food and beverage legal if the THC is derived from hemp. This new legislation comes with strict regulations to adhere to for the sale of THC-infused food and beverages in Minnesota.

May 31, 2022, Weedmaps and beverage company Cann launch viral Pride Month campaign with the music video “Taste So Good.” The video features a celebrity ensemble including Kesha, Gus Kenworthy, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Hayley Kiyoko, Vincint, Patricia Arquette, MNEK, and RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 cast members Willow Pill, Kerri Colby, Kornbread “The Snack” Jete, and Jorgeous. The campaign later wins 5 Clio Cannabis Awards.

May 25, 2022, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signs legislation that legalizes adult-use cannabis in the state. The legalization of recreational cannabis in Rhode Island will see the automatic expungement of prior civil or criminal cannabis possession charges. Consumers aged 21 and older may legally possess and grow cannabis for personal use. In-store cannabis sales may begin as soon as December 1, 2022.

May 2022, Mississippi’s portals to license medical cannabis businesses open. Just shy of a week old, Mississippi's medical cannabis portal has more than 1,800 people already registered to apply for medical cannabis licenses.

April 21, 2022, legal adult-use cannabis sales begin in New Jersey.  An overwhelming number of people have voted to have access to adult-use cannabis in New Jersey. People 21 years and older will be legally allowed to purchase cannabis products in New Jersey without a medical card.

April 7, 2022, Lisa N. Sacco, Coordinator Analyst for the Congressional Research Service, publishes CRS Report R44782, The Evolution of Marijuana as a Controlled Substance and the Federal-State Policy Gap. The report addresses how a majority of states have legalized some form of cannabis while the plant remains federally illegal, and seeks to make a case to Congress to remove cannabis from Schedule I.

April 1, 2022,  legal adult-use cannabis sales begin in New Mexico. Persons aged 21 and older are now legally allowed to purchase cannabis products in New Mexico.

February 17, 2022, WNBA player Brittney Griner is arrested in a Russian airport for traveling with less than one gram of cannabis oil.

February 7, 2022, Weedmaps launches the cannabis censorship ad “Brock Ollie” online after NBC declines to run the commercial during the Super Bowl. The spot goes viral and later wins 3 Clio Cannabis Awards, including a Grand Clio Cannabis Award for Social Media. The campaign is also recognized by the PR News Platinum Awards and Ragan’s PR Daily Awards.

February 2, 2022, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signs Senate Bill 2095, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, into law, legalizing medical cannabis in the state of Mississippi.

January 18, 2022, Louisiana activist Gary Chambers launches "37 Seconds" viral PSA about cannabis legalization and the Black community, the first of several controversial Senate campaign videos

2021

August 19, 2021, New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act is signed into law. The state's application portals for adult-use cannabis business licenses open.

July 1, 2021, Virginia Legislature and Governor Ralph Northam agree to final version of Senate Bill 1406, legalizing adult-use cannabis in the state.  

Senate Bill 1406 establishes the Virginia Cannabis Control authority which creates structure for the cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale, and retail sale of marijuana and marijuana products. The legalization of adult use cannabis in Virginia will also allow for an automatic expungement process for individuals convicted of certain cannabis-related crimes.

June 28, 2021, Mexico’s Supreme Court votes 8-3 to legalize adult-use cannabis nationwide. However, state and federal penal laws surrounding cannabis remain in place.  In its current form, the bill regarding cannabis in Mexico will allow persons aged 18 years and older to consume and to possess up to 28 grams of marijuana in their home. Individuals would also be allowed to grow and share marijuana for personal use.

June 22, 2021, Connecticut's Governor Lamont signs Senate Bill 1201 that legalizes adult-use cannabis in the state.  

The legalization of cannabis in Connecticut will allow adults aged 21 and over to legally possess cannabis, with a limitation of 1.5 ounces on their person, and no more than 5 ounces in their homes, or vehicles glove box. Retail sales aim to begin by the end of 2022. Certain cannabis-related convictions between the years of January 1, 2000 and October 1, 2015 will be automatically erased.

June 16, 2021, Weedmaps goes public on NASDAQ after the completion of its merger with the SPAC company Silver Spike Acquisition Corp. The transaction brings $579 million to Weedmaps and the ticker symbol is MAPS. 

June 15, 2021, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signs House Bill 652, decriminalizing cannabis possession in the state. To note, Gov. Edwards stated “I have signed HB 652, which contrary to the narrative developed in the press and elsewhere, does not decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, 14 grams or less. Instead, anyone convicted of this crime will now be subject to a maximum penalty of $100 instead of being exposed to parish prison time.”

June 11, 2021, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signs Assembly Bill 341 into law, legalizing the operation of cannabis consumption lounges in the state. Texas Governor Greg Abbott signs legislation expanding the state's medical marijuana program.

May 17, 2021, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signs Senate Bill 46, the Darren Westley Hall Compassion Act, into law, creating legal medical use of cannabis for patients with certain qualifying conditions.

April 20, 2021, Times Square billboards feature a campaign including US and Canadian Indigenous-owned cannabis brands, the first international Indigenous cannabis collaboration in history.

April 19, 2021, Idaho is the final state to legalize industrial hemp production after the 2018 Farm Bill. Cultivation and transportation of hemp is now allowed within Idaho. However, the sale of any hemp products that contain THC remains illegal.

April 12, 2021, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signs House Bill 2, the Cannabis Regulation Act, into law, legalizing adult-use cannabis in the state.  

Adults aged 21 years and older may now possess, purchase and give other adults up to 2 ounces of cannabis. Persons may be allowed to have a maximum of 12 mature cannabis plants per household. A cannabis control division will be created to regulate the cannabis business industry.

March 31, 2021, New York State’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), legalizing adult-use cannabis, becomes effective.  Along with this legislation, the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) was created. Governed by a Cannabis Control Board, this board will regulate adult-use, medical, and hemp cannabis. The OCM will also develop regulations and issue licenses for future cannabis industry businesses.

February 26, 2021, Washington State Supreme Court rules in State v Blake that simple possession of controlled substances will no longer be prosecuted as a crime. The same day, Idaho Governor Brad Little signs Senate Bill 1017, which removes the CBD-based medicine Epidiolex from the state's Schedule V listing and approves it as a legal treatment for medical patients with certain qualifying conditions.

January 22, 2021, Arizona begins legal adult-use cannabis sales.  

Adult use cannabis sales are expected to roll out gradually. According to Department of Health Services spokesman Steve Elliot: Once existing medical marijuana dispensaries have their applications approved, they can legally begin selling marijuana to adults who are at least 21 years old.

January 1, 2021. Montana officially approves passage of Montana Marijuana Legalization and Tax Initiative (Montana 1-90), which originally passed by ballot measure on November 3, 2020 to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state. 

2020

December 10, 2020, Jay-Z launches Monogram, his official cannabis brand, through The Parent Company

December 9, 2020, US House of Representatives passes the Medical Marijuana Research Act.

December 4, 2020, US House of Representatives passes the MORE Act in a 228-164 vote.

December 2, 2020, The United Nations Commission for Narcotic Drugs votes to remove medical marijuana from its list of dangerous drugs, paving the way for better global access to cannabis research.

November 24, 2020, Subversive Capital Acquisition Corp, the largest cannabis-focused special acquisition company in US history, agrees to acquire Caliva and Left Coast Ventures to form The Parent Company. Jay-Z and Roc Nation sign exclusive agreements with The Parent Company and Jay-Z becomes the company's Chief Visionary Officer with $36.5 million in equity commitments. 

November 4, 2020, South Dakota passes Measure 26, Medical Marijuana Initiative, by ballot measure to legalize medical cannabis in the state.

November 3, 2020, Arizona passes Proposition 207 and New Jersey passes Public Question 1 by ballot measure, respectively legalizing adult-use cannabis in both states.

June 29, 2020, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs House File 2589, expanding the Medical Cannabidiol Act to include even more patient conditions and increase the amount of THC allowed in legal medical cannabis.

June 17, 2020, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs House File 2581 into law, legalizing the sale and production of consumable hemp products in the state.

April 7, 2020, Charlotte Figi dies due to complications from Covid

January 11, 2020, Hawaii passes legislation decriminalizing possession of 3 grams or less of marijuana.

January 1, 2020, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signs the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, House Bill 1438, into law. It is the first act of a US state legislature creating a regulated cannabis system and authorizes legal retail sales to begin immediately.

2019

December 3, 2019, U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan adds an adult-use cannabis amendment onto the existing Virgin Islands Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act, allowing anyone to purchase cannabis legally in the territory.  Brazil allows medical cannabis sales to begin in the country. 

December 1, 2019, Michigan begins legal adult-use cannabis sales. 

The majority of Democratic candidates for President express pro-cannabis views while campaigning.

November 19, 2019, Charlotte Figi is the first person under 18 to be featured on the cover of High Times and is named one of that year's "High Times Female 50."

October 29, 2019, The USDA releases proposed regulations under which states can submit legal hemp manufacturing and distribution plans.

September 27, 2019, Weedmaps launches WM Retail, its in-house point of sale system, and rededicates a large part of its operations to offer software and tech for cannabis businesses.

September 25, 2019, U.S. House of Representatives approves, 321-103, the SAFE Banking Act to allow banks and financial institutions to service cannabis businesses. 

August 2019, Weedmaps opens the 30,000 square-foot Museum of Weed in Los Angeles, which runs for three months to tell the story of prohibition and help destigmatize cannabis.

July 23, 2019, Matching bills on the MORE Act are introduced to the House of Representatives by Jerry Nadler and to the Senate by Kamala Harris.

July 2019, Jay-Z enters the cannabis space by signing a deal with Caliva to bring his flagship cannabis brand Monogram to fruition

June 11, 2019, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signs House Bill 1325 into law, legalizing the cultivation of hemp and legal sale of CBD. The law also inadvertently changes the state's standards for marijuana possession, leading to hundreds of marijuana cases throughout the state being dropped. 

May 9, 2019, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum signs House Bill 1050 into law, decriminalizing cannabis in the state.

April 17, 2019, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signs House Bill 324 into law, legalizing the sale of low-THC medical cannabis oil and allowing cultivation of medical cannabis in the state.

April 4, 2019, Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero signs legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis in the territory.

February 17, 2019, Barney's luxury store begins offering cannabis products in Beverly Hills, CA

February 13, 2019, Attorney David H. Carpenter publishes CRS Testimony TE10031, Challenges and Solutions: Access to Banking Services for Cannabis Related Businesses, providing Congress with a basis for how the SAFE Banking Act could benefit cannabis businesses.

January 9, 2019, U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan signs Virgin Islands Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act into law, legalizing medical cannabis in the territory. 

2018

December 31, 2018, cannabis and hemp brands are permitted to appear on Times Square billboards for the first time, changing 80+ years of New York advertising policy.

December 25, 2018, Thailand amends its federal drug laws to allow the use of licensed medical marijuana. The same day, Israel’s Parliament approves legislation permitting exports of medical cannabis.

December 20, 2018, then-President Trump signs the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (“The 2018 Farm Bill”) into law, removing hemp from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.  

December 10, 2018, New Zealand passes legislation making medical cannabis available nationwide.

December 6, 2018, Michigan passes Proposal 1, the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, by ballot measure, which legalizes adult-use cannabis in the state.

November 20, 2018, legal recreational cannabis sales begin in Massachusetts.

November 6, 2018, Missouri Amendment 2 and Utah Proposition 2, the Utah Medical Cannabis Act, respectively pass by ballot measure, legalizing medical cannabis in the states.

October 31, 2018, Mexico’s Supreme Court rules that the law prohibiting recreational cannabis use to be unconstitutional, and mandates the government to formally legalize adult-use cannabis.

October 17, 2018, legal recreational cannabis sales begin nationwide throughout Canada.

September 26, 2018, Virginia approves the state's first medical cannabis companies for licensure.

September 21, 2018, Northern Mariana Islands Governor Ralph Torres signs House Bill 20-178, the Cannabis Act of 2018, legalizing adult-use cannabis in the territory.

September 18-October 9, 2018, the DEA announces it has approved certain Canadian companies to ship medical cannabis legally into the U.S.

September 7, 2018, Elon Musk smokes cannabis on Joe Rogan's podcast.

August 15, 2018, major beverage corporation Constellation Brands (makers of Modelo and Corona) invests $4 billion into cannabis company Canopy Growth Corporation, at that time the largest equity investment in a cannabis stock in history.

August 1, 2018, Manhattan DA Cy Vance announces he will stop prosecuting simple cannabis possession cases.

July 19, 2018, Canadian company Tilray becomes the first cannabis company to complete an IPO on the NASDAQ.

June 25, 2018, the FDA approves Epidiolex, a medicine derived from cannabidiol, as treatment for seizure disorders associated with two rare forms of epilepsy. This is the first FDA-approved drug to be derived primarily from the cannabis plant. 

June 19, 2018, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signs the Cannabis Act, passed by the country’s House of Commons and Senate, into law and legalizes adult-use cannabis. Canada becomes the first G7 nation to legalize adult-use cannabis on a country-wide scale, and the second nation in the world overall after Uruguay. 

June 2018, Oklahoma passes State Question 788, Medical Marijuana Legalization, by ballot measure.

May 14, 2018, Kansas Governor Jeff Coyler signs Senate Bill 282 into law, allowing the legalization of CBD oil in the state.

April 11, 2018, Former Speaker of the House John Boehner announces he will join the board of Acreage Holdings, then the largest cannabis company in the US; former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld (also GOP) is also announced as a board member

March 22, 2018, Indiana passes legislation authorizing the legal sale of CBD for any purpose.

March 21, 2018, Utah Governor signs House Bill 195, the "right to try" and grow medical cannabis, into law. 

February 27, 2018, Canadian company Cronos Group becomes the first cannabis company to be uplisted on the NASDAQ.

January 22, 2018, Vermont becomes the first state to legalize adult-use cannabis entirely through the legislative process, signing H.511 into law. However, the law does not include sales or revenue provisions.

January 4, 2018, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinds the Cole Memorandum, thus restoring the ability of US Attorneys to enforce federal law even in states that have legalized adult-use cannabis.

January 1, 2018, legal recreational cannabis sales begin in California.

2017

December 2, 2017, World Health Organization’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence issues new guidance that says CBD possesses no abuse potential and should not be subject to international drug laws. 

October 31, 2017, The FDA sends letters to four major CBD companies, including the Stanley Brothers (producers of Charlotte's Web), warning the companies not to make medical claims about the benefits of CBD or to market CBD as dietary/wellness supplements

September 20, 2017, North Carolina's first industrial hemp processing plant opens.

August 25, 2017, Disjointed, created by David Javerbaum and Chuck Lorre, premieres on Netflix as the streaming service’s first original multi-cam sitcom. The series stars Kathy Bates as the owner of a Los Angeles cannabis dispensary and highlights issues surrounding cannabis as a tool for health and the history of the legalization movement. It lasts only one season due to low ratings. 

July 18, 2017, New Hampshire passes legislation decriminalizing cannabis.

July 9, 2017, Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla signs Act 42-2017 into law, which officially legalizes medical cannabis in the territory.

May 12, 2017, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad expands the Medical Cannabidiol Act to include more patient conditions than epilepsy.

April 19, 2017, West Virginia Governor James Conley Justice II signs Senate Bill 386 into law, legalizing medical cannabis in the state.

April 2017, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signs House Bill 1146 into law, legalizing CBD oil as treatment for patients with seizures.

January 30, 2017, Maine officially approves the passage of Question 1, An Act to Legalize Marijuana, which originally passed by ballot measure on November 8, 2016.

January 1, 2017, Nevada’s first adult-use cannabis dispensaries open to the public. 

2016

December 20, 2016, US Patent is granted to Cannabis Sativa Inc. for high-CBD cannabis cultivar "Ecuadorian Sativa"

December 15, 2016, Massachusetts passes Question 4, the Massachusetts Legalization, Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Initiative, by ballot measure, legalizing adult-use cannabis.

November 9, 2016, California passes Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, and Nevada passes Question 2, by ballot measure, legalizing adult-use cannabis in those states. 

November 8, 2016, Arkansas passes Issue 6, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment; Florida passes Amendment 2; and North Dakota passes Measure 5, respectively by ballot measure, to legalize medical cannabis in the states. 

All the American presidential candidates, both Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, support at the very least state's rights to do as they please with marijuana policy.

September 8, 2016, Ohio’s House Bill 523, legalizing medical marijuana becomes effective.

August 5, 2016, Puyallup Tribe reaches agreement with the State of Washington to pursue a tribally-sovereign medical marijuana operation.

July 17, 2016, Hawaii Governor David Ige signs Act 228 into law, allowing Hawaii's Department of Agriculture to cultivate industrial hemp for research. 

June 8, 2016, Ohio Governor John Kasich signs House Bill 523 into law, legalizing medical cannabis in the state.

May 4, 2016, German Cabinet approves medical cannabis for patients who are seriously ill. 

April 23, 2016, inaugural National Cannabis Festival is held in Washington, DC. It is the largest cannabis cultural festival in the U.S., and the most-attended cannabis event produced by a woman of color (Caroline Philips).

April 6, 2016, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signs Senate Bill 3, legalizing medical marijuana. 

2015

Brazil allows medical cannabis use

Jamaica decriminalizes cannabis possession for up to two ounces, while also legalizing personal cultivation of up to five plants and regulations for cultivation and distribution of medical, religious, and natural cannabis.

September 28, 2015, Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla signs an executive order permitting medical cannabis use in the territory.

July 17, 2015, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signs House Bill 766 into law, allowing epilepsy patients to use CBD for treatment.

June 30, 2015, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signs Senate Bill 143, significantly reducing penalties for possession of cannabis in the state. Jindal also signs House Bill 149, creating a framework for medical cannabis to be legally dispensed to patients.

June 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 339 into law, allowing low-THC oil to be used by epilepsy patients.

May 2015, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signs Senate Bill 280 into law, legalizing CBD oil for medical patients with qualifying conditions. The first Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo is held in New York City at the Javits Center.

April 16, 2015, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signs House Bill 1, Haleigh's Hope Act, into law, legalizing low-THC cannabis oil for medical patients with certain qualifying conditions.

March 26, 2015, Bill Levin creates the First Church of Cannabis in Indiana and receives recognition as a nonprofit religious entity as the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act takes effect.

February 26, 2015, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe signs House Bill 1445 and Senate Bill 1235 into law, creating affirmative defense against possession charges of CBD and THCA oil for medical patients. 

2014

2014, Michael Zaytsev founds High NY.

November 4, 2014, Oregon Ballot Measure 91 and Alaska Ballot Measure 2 pass, legalizing adult-use cannabis in their respective states. The same day, Washington, DC Ballot Initiative 71, Legalization of Possession of Minimal Amounts of Marijuana for Personal Use Act of 2014, passes to fully legalize adult-use cannabis in the nation's capital. Guam passes a ballot measure to legalize medical cannabis in the territory.

October 6, 2014, Paige Figi, and the Stanley Brothers tell the story of Charlotte's Web on CBS show The Doctors; the show's hosts state on-air that there should be a change in federal marijuana policy 

July 7, 2014, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signs the Compassionate Care Act, legalizing medical cannabis within the state.

July 2014, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signs House Bill 2238 into law; the Missouri Medical Marijuana Bill legalizes CBD for the treatment of seizure disorders.

June 4, 2014, Florida Governor Rick Scott signs Senate Bill 1030, the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, into law to allow medical patients access to Charlotte's Web cannabis strain. 

June 2014, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signs Senate Bill 1035, Julian's Law, allowing children with severe epilepsy to be treated by CBD oil as prescribed by a physician.

May 29, 2014, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signs a bill legalizing medical cannabis within the state.

May 2014, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signs the Medical Cannabidiol Act into law, allowing epilepsy patients to use CBD oil for treatment if prescribed by a neurologist.

May 2014, the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment, which prohibits the Justice Department from spending federal funds to interfere with the implementation of state medical cannabis laws, passed the House, becoming law in December 2014 as part of the annual omnibus spending bill. The passage of the amendment was the first time either chamber of Congress had voted to protect medical cannabis patients, but did not change its legal status, and must be renewed each year in order to remain in effect.

April 14, 2014, Maryland Governor O'Malley signs law creating a legal medical cannabis infrastructure within the state.

April 2014, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signs House Bill 1231, "Harper Grace's Act," into law, legalizing medical patients' access to CBD oil for qualifying conditions.

March 14, 2014, Florida House of Representatives Budget Committee passes the "Charlotte's Web measure" (CS / HB 843), designed to limit prosecutors' ability to prosecute those in possession of low-THC/high-CBD marijuana if it is used to treat seizure conditions  

March 4, 2014, Council of the District of Columbia passes legislation decriminalizing adult-use cannabis in Washington, DC.

February 14, 2014, US Department of Justice issues guidelines allowing banks and financial institutions to interact with marijuana businesses that are licensed to operate under state law

February 12, 2014, Eighteen members of US Congress co-sign letter to President Obama, calling on him to delist marijuana from Schedule I or II of the Controlled Substances Act, thus ending mandatory minimum sentencing in marijuana cases.  

2013

December 10, 2013, Uruguay becomes the world's first nation to legalize cannabis cultivation, distribution, and adult use. "We are regulating a market that already exists," said Jose Mujica, Uruguay's president.

August 29, 2013,  United States Deputy Attorney General James Cole issues a memorandum (the “Cole Memorandum”) to all United States Attorneys, regarding prosecution of federal marijuana offenses. The Cole Memorandum stated that, given its limited resources, the Justice Department would no longer enforce the federal cannabis laws in states that had "legalized marijuana in some form and ... implemented strong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems to control the cultivation, distribution, sale, and possession of marijuana," except where the lack of enforcement would undermine federal priorities (such as preventing violence in cannabis cultivation and distribution, preventing marijuana-impaired driving, and preventing marijuana money from going to gangs and cartels). 

The Cole Memorandum was rescinded by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in January 2018, during Donald Trump’s presidency. 

August 13, 2013, Dr. Sanjay Gupta features Charlotte Figi's story on the CNN documentary Weed 

August 2, 2013, Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn signs a bill legalizing medical cannabis within the state. 

July 23, 2013, New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan signs a bill legalizing medical cannabis within the state.

June 2013, Weedmaps’ Justin Hartfield and Doug Francis form Ghost Group and Emerald Ocean Capital, the first venture capital firm for the legal cannabis sector. Hartfield is dubbed “the first venture capitalist of the pot industry” by Business Insider.

February 2013, General Cannabis Incorporated sells Weedmaps back to original founders Justin Hartfield and Keith Hoerling.

January 16, 2013, Kevin Sabet founds anti-cannabis organization Smart Approach to Marijuana (SAM). 

2012

December 20, 2012, One of California’s most well-established dispensaries, Oakland’s Harborside Health Center gets raided by Federal Agents.

December 6, 2012, Colorado and Washington pass adult use marijuana legislation, becoming the first two states to legalize cannabis cultivation and sale for those 21 and over.

November 6, 2012, Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Initiative passes by ballot, legalizing medical cannabis within the state. 

May 5, 2012, Connecticut passes medical marijuana legislation.

April 2, 2012, Federal Agents raid Oaksterdam, a cannabis “university” in Oakland, CA, at the heart of the marijuana law reform movement, providing students with high quality training for the cannabis industry.

2011

Charlotte Figi commences treatment with Charlotte's Web cannabis strain for her epilepsy 

November 2011, Weedmaps acquires Marijuana.com for $4.2 million. A few weeks later, the company also acquires software entity MMJMenu, which provides back-end software for medical cannabis businesses to track their seed-to-sale operations; Weedmaps begins to expand its business software offerings.

October 2011, Weedmaps partners with NORML to revamp the latter’s website and aid legalization efforts; this signals Weedmaps’ entry into the advocacy sector.

September 2011, Marijuana Business Daily hosts first MJBizCon in Denver.

May 13, 2011, Delaware passes medical marijuana legislation.

May 1, 2011, The DEA places five synthetic cannabinoids, such as “Spice,” in the Schedule I category of the Controlled Substances Act, given that they are an “imminent hazard to public safety."

2010

Lil Wayne releases “Blunt Blowin,” a single from his album Tha Carter IV. The song peaks at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is currently certified 2x Platinum, having sold over 2 million digital copies.

November 21, 2010, Weedmaps is acquired by General Cannabis Incorporated for an undisclosed amount.

November 18, 2010, Arizona Prop 203 passes by ballot, legalizing medical cannabis within the state. 

The same day, Dr. Dre releases “Kush,” featuring Snoop Dogg and Akon. The song peaks at number 11 on the Billboard Rap chart, and the artists later perform the song at that year’s Grammy Interscope Party.

November 9, 2010, Kid Cudi releases “Marijuana,” a track on his album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. The song notably lasts 4 minutes and 20 seconds long. Its music video was shot in Amsterdam and directed by actor Shia LaBeouf, a good friend of Kid Cudi’s, while the latter was in the city judging the High Times Cannabis Cup. In April 2011, Kid Cudi announced he had quit smoking cannabis, calling the track “an R.I.P. video to my whole smoking career.” “Marijuana” reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100.

November 2010, National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) founded by Aaron Smith and Steve Fox. 

May 2010, Council of the District of Columbia passes legislation legalizing medical cannabis in Washington, DC.

April 14, 2010, Wiz Khalifa releases his mixtape Kush & Orange Juice, featuring numerous odes to cannabis, including “Still Blazin’”. The mixtape becomes the number-one trending topic on Google and Twitter, and is seen as Khalifa’s breakthrough as a mainstream artist.

January 22, 2010, California Supreme Court affirms the 2nd District Court of Appeals’ decision in 2008 that possession limits are unconstitutional

January 18, 2010, New Jersey Governor John Corzine signs Compassionate Use Act into law, legalizing medical marijuana legislation.

2009

November 11, 2009, The American Medical Association recommends that marijuana's status as a Schedule I drug be re-evaluated.

March 29, 2009, US Attorney General Eric Holder issues a statement that the DEA would end its raids on medical marijuana dispensaries in compliance with state laws. Holder announces the Ogden Memo that the Department of Justice would not prioritize the prosecution of state-compliant medical marijuana patients.

2008

November 6, 2008, Michigan approves Proposal 1, allowing for the use, possession, and cultivation of medical marijuana for patients.

August 6, 2008, The film Pineapple Express is released; filmmaker Seth Rogen says he and co-writer Evan Goldberg developed the eponymous cannabis strain for the movie.

July 2008, Weedmaps is founded by Justin Hartfield and Keith Hoertling in California. The tech company begins as an online database where medical cannabis patients can find and review dispensaries in their local areas. It eventually becomes the most widely-used and downloaded cannabis-related app on both Apple and Android platforms.

May 22, 2008, In People v. Patrick Kelly, the Second District of California Court of Appeals rules that the state limits on medical marijuana possession and cultivation, as delineated in SB 420, are unconstitutional. The court hence overturned the defendant’s conviction for possessing 12 ounces of dried marijuana plants (4 ounces over the established limit in the Health & Safety Code Sec. 11362.77)

2007

Scientists discover THC derived from yeast.

New Mexico’s Senate Bill 523, otherwise known as The Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, allows for the use, possession and cultivation of medical marijuana for patients.

2006

November 21, 2006, Jamaican reggae musician Sizzla releases his album The Overstanding, featuring the song “Smoke Marijuana.” 

October 24, 2006, Barack Obama, then a US Senator, admits he smoked cannabis as a teenager.

Rhode Island passes Senate Bill 0710, allowing for the use, possession, and cultivation of marijuana by patients with ‘written certification” from their physician.

2005

In Gonzales v. Raich, 545 U.S. 1 (2005), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that, pursuant to the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Congress had authority to criminalize the intra-state production and use of homegrown cannabis even if state law allowed its use for medicinal purposes.

September 27, 2005, Three 6 Mafia releases Most Known Unknown album, including the single "Stay Fly" 

August 8, 2005, The TV series Weeds, created by Jenji Kohan, premieres on Showtime. It stars Mary-Louise Parker as a widowed mother in the suburbs who starts growing cannabis illegally to support her family. Weeds becomes Showtime’s highest-rated series in its first season, and receives numerous awards during its run from 2005 to 2012, including 20 Emmy nominations and two wins, and 10 Golden Globe nominations and one win for Mary-Louise Parker (Best Actress - Musical or Comedy Series). Dr. Dina Browner, a medical marijuana pioneer and Snoop Dogg’s personal cannabis cultivator, is the inspiration for Parker’s character and serves as a consultant throughout the show’s run.

April 16, 2005, Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical debuts at the Sundance Film Festival and premieres on television via Showtime. Christian Campbell, John Kassir, and Kristen Bell reprise their roles from the stage musical. Alan Cumming, Neve Campbell, Ana Gasteyer, Steven Weber, and Amy Spanger also star. The film later wins the Premiere Audience Award at the 2005 Deauville Film Festival; it is nominated for three Emmy Awards that year and wins Best Music and Lyrics for the original song “Mary Jane/Mary Lane.”

2004

Montana and Vermont pass medical marijuana legislation.

December 7, 2004, Ludacris releases “Blueberry Yum Yum,” a track on his album The Red Light District. The album reaches number 1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Album and Rap Album charts, as well as the US Billboard 200 in its first week. The song references the hybrid strain Blueberry Yum Yum, which became popular as a result of the track’s notoriety.

2003

Maryland passes medical marijuana affirmative defense, requiring courts to consider defendants’ use of medical marijuana in marijuana-related prosecution cases

2002

2002, Americans for Safe Access founded by Steph Scherer.

October 29, 2002, In Conant v. Walters, the court rules that the government cannot revoke physicians’ licenses for recommending medical marijuana.

September 6, 2002, DEA agents raid the medical marijuana garden belonging to the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM), a California-based collective serving seriously ill patients and those who couldn't otherwise afford medicine. In response, WAMM gathers on the steps of Santa Cruz city hall to distribute cannabis medicine to terminally ill members of the collective, and goes on to successfully sue the federal government.

August 11, 2002, Styles P releases “Good Times (I Get High),” the lead track on his debut solo album A Gangster and a Gentleman. The song peaks at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 8 on the US Hot Rap chart, and number 6 on the US R&B chart. Dedicated to cannabis consumption, it samples the Freda Payne classic “I Get High” and is later used on the soundtrack to Snoop Dogg’s film Soul Plane. In 2022, Styles P celebrated the song’s 20th anniversary with a sold-out concert at New York’s Irving Plaza that featured performances from numerous hip hop stars and DJs, releases of new cannabis strains and collaborations with multiple New York cannabis brands.

2001

In United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative, 532 U.S. 483 (2001), the U.S. Supreme Court held that there was no common-law medical necessity defense to violations of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970, regardless of their legal status under the laws of states such as California, which recognizes a medical use for marijuana: “there is no medical necessity exception to the Controlled Substances Act’s prohibitions on manufacturing and distributing marijuana."

July 30, 2001, Afroman releases “Because I Got High,” the title track from his album of the same name. The song becomes a pop culture meme through popularity on the internet, prominent features on The Howard Stern Show, and being selected as the theme song for the film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. It’s also included on the soundtracks of films such as Disturbia, The Perfect Score, and A Thousand Words. The track peaks at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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