The Landscape of Legalization: A Close Look at the States Where Rec Pot Is Legal

In the United States, the perception, use and legal status of marijuana, colloquially known to many as “rec pot,” continues to experience significant transformation. It’s an evolving landscape with politicians, judges and voters determining the degree of legality on a state-by-state basis. A multitude of states have already given the green light to recreational use; however, cannabis remains illegal federally. But, where exactly, is recreational pot legal? This article zooms into these specific American states and their marijuana laws and regulations.

As of now, the pioneers in the arena of marijuana legality encompass 17 states and the District of Columbia. The list includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, and Washington. In these jurisdictions, adults aged 21 and over can consume, possess and in some cases, grow their own marijuana plants.

Alaska, for instance, remarkably became the third state in the country to take the big leap towards legalization back in 2014. In this northern state, adults can possess up to one ounce of marijuana and cultivate up to six plants in their residents.

California, on the other hand, presents an intriguing scenario because it was the first state to legalize medical marijuana back in 1996. However, it wasn’t until two decades later, in 2016, that the powers that be decriminalized marijuana for recreational use. As of the present day, Californians aged 21 and above can possess up to one ounce of the plant and cultivate up to six marijuana plants at home.

There’s also the case of Colorado, a state synonymous with monumental moments in the history of marijuana legalization in the United States. Colorado was one of the first two states, alongside Washington, to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2012.

In addition to the above-mentioned jurisdictions, all the other states where recreational pot is legal have tailored their own versions of marijuana laws. The general premise, however, remains the same – adults aged 21 and over can consume and possess certain amounts of marijuana.

Legalization not only paves the way for recreational pot use, but also fosters the development and usage of cannabis medicines. The medicinal properties of cannabis are undeniable, and under the shield of legalization, researchers and pharmaceutical companies have the green light to explore and harness cannabis’ therapeutic potency.

However, it’s vital to remember that the journey towards a fully legalize marijuana nation is far from over. Despite the headway made thus far, several states still have strict laws against the use, possession and cultivation of weed. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, cannabis – whether for medicinal or recreational use – remains illegal on the federal level. Therefore, marijuana users need to be fully aware of the laws and regulations governing marijuana in their respective states.

In conclusion, the canvas of legalization is ever-changing. For advocates of marijuana use – both recreational and medicinal – these are undoubtedly pivotal times. The day when every American state legalizes the consumption, possession and cultivation of marijuana may not be within sight yet, but the current trend certainly gives a glimmer of hope. Until then, it’s our job as responsible citizens to stay informed about the laws and regulations governing marijuana in our states.

Now that Canada and many US states have legalized cannabis, dozens of our professional sports teams now live in jurisdictions where recreational cannabis use is legal. Some would argue that since cannabis can make it difficult to focus and reduce coordination, it would hinder athletes’ performance rather than enhance it. However, not every cannabis user experiences those effects to the same degree, and cannabis can also reduce anxiety, which can be useful in high-pressure environments. Rather than using cannabis to boost performance during an event, though, most 420-friendly athletes use it during recovery.

How Cannabis Speeds Recovery

To compete in any sport at the highest levels, athletes need to push their bodies extremely hard. Injuries – minor ones, at the very least – are almost inevitable. Cannabis is a powerful anti-inflammatory, which means it can help with common injuries like over-strained muscles and sprained ankles. It also reduces the duration of post-workout muscle soreness, which could help athletes spend more time training productively and less time recovering.

For athletes who need to maintain a certain calorie intake but struggle to eat enough, cannabis can help by stimulating their appetites. Athletes may also use cannabis for better sleep. Interestingly, studies have shown that male athletes are more likely to use cannabis than female athletes, and there is a strong positive correlation between number of training hours and frequency of cannabis use.

It’s also important to note that a majority of cannabis use among athletes may be completely unrelated to their performance. One study found that recreational use was eight times more prevalent among athletes than use for performance-enhancing purposes.

Which Sports Allow Cannabis Use?

Unfortunately, just because cannabis is legal in an athlete’s state or province doesn’t mean they can use cannabis without repercussions. Beyond actual laws, sport bodies also have their own rules that govern athletes’ behavior. The World Anti-Doping Agency currently includes cannabis on its Prohibited List, as it considers cannabis to be a performance-enhancing drug. Specific sports’ rules are:

• Lacrosse: cannabis use is prohibited.
• Football: the CFL’s drug-testing policy has never included cannabis.
• Hockey: cannabis use is allowed by the NHL, and testing positive for cannabis during one of the random drug tests is not grounds for fines or suspensions.
• NBA: the NBA forbids cannabis use… officially. However, tests are infrequent and it is speculated that up to 80% of NBA players use cannabis anyway.
• NFL: like the NBA, the NFL forbids cannabis use, but doesn’t test frequently.
• MLB: in Major League Baseball, drug tests are only conducted if there is probably cause. For this reason, players almost never incur penalties for cannabis use, and use is probably much more common than is reported.

Based on the relaxed “anti-weed” policies held by many of these sport bodies and the correlation between time spent training and frequency of cannabis use by athletes, it seems like both athletes and regulators are arriving at the same conclusion: that cannabis may be a useful recovery supplement, but should not be classified as a performance-enhancing drug. Over time, cannabis use bans will probably relax or dissolve.