5 states could legalize recreational pot in 2024

Before you start rolling up, it’s better to know which states are rolling out recreational marijuana legalization measures this year.

Although some efforts to legalize it may not come to fruition, five states have pot decriminalization efforts in the works for 2024, reflecting Pew research that shows nearly 9 in 10 Americans support legal recreational weed.

Even though two dozen states have legalized recreational marijuana, with five more now making moves toward that effect, the psychoactive plant is still illegal at the federal level. This could be the year that more than half the country has access to weed.

Measure could land on Fla. ballot

Smart and Safe Florida collected over a million petition signatures to put the legalization of adult personal use of marijuana on the 2024 ballot.

The state is arguing before the state Supreme Court that the amendment fails to accurately inform voters that marijuana would still be illegal under federal law. If the Florida Supreme Court rules the referendum’s language is legal by April 1, recreational marijuana will likely be on the November ballot.

Pa. recreational pot legislation

This past year, political leaders in Pennsylvania on both sides of the aisle have signaled interest in legalizing the recreational use of marijuana – but there are caveats. Republicans and Democrats in the Keystone State Legislature have different ideas for regulatory framework for legal weed, media outlets like Axios have reported.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has pushed for marijuana legalization to take place this year despite legislative obstacles. Currently, a bill is being mulled by state lawmakers who hold the reins over marijuana’s future, according to Spotlightpa.

The process in Pennsylvania contrasts the direct democracy approach taken by Florida activists whose petition will push the state government to take action one way or another, either through the courts or the Legislature.

New Hampshire governor willing

Although New Hampshire has previously made moves toward marijuana legalization, this year legislation is making its way through with the tacit support of the state’s governor. Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, said in a statement last summer that he is “ready to sign a legalization bill,” reversing a previous policy position.

New Hampshire’s House of Representatives passed legislation in February that would legalize marijuana if it can clear subsequent hurdles. According to the New Hampshire Bulletin, the bill is now being fine-tuned by the House Finance Committee and must pass the House again and be submitted to the state Senate by April 11.

Hawaii lawmakers back and forth

While marijuana bills in New Hampshire have had difficulty making it through the Senate even when passed by the House, Hawaii has the opposite problem. Although the law, which is backed by the state’s governor and attorney general, would not go into effect until 2026, it could be passed this year.

Honolulu Civil Beat reported that legal weed passed the Senate handily earlier this year and will now go to the House of Representatives for approval or rejection.

SD effort collecting signatures

Activists in South Dakota have until May 7 to submit 17,509 signatures to put marijuana legalization on the ballot this fall.

South Dakota pot proponents have failed twice in the past, once after the effort was invalidated by the state’s Supreme Court and a second time at the polls, according to South Dakota State University.