Is cannabis legal in California?
Legal
Cannabis is legal for adult recreational use.
California is classified “Legal” for cannabis, as are 23 of the other 49 states. For the United States as a whole, the classification is “Varies by region”.
Source
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Read from the source’s state-by-state coverage; the topic is published only once hand-verified reference states match it.
Across the United States
- Legal 24 states, including California.
- Legal (Medical) 18 states.
- Decriminalized 1 state.
- Illegal 7 states.
Nearby states
- Nevada
- Legal Cannabis is legal for adult recreational use.
- Arizona
- Legal Cannabis is legal for adult recreational use.
- Utah
- Legal (Medical) Cannabis is legal for medical use only.
- Oregon
- Legal Cannabis is legal for adult recreational use.
- Idaho
- Illegal Cannabis is illegal. Only low-THC or CBD oil is permitted.
- Washington
- Legal Cannabis is legal for adult recreational use.
Other laws in California
- Abortion
- Legal on request
- Euthanasia
- Assisted dying only
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Marriage legal
- Sex Work
- Illegal
- Death Penalty
- Not used in practice
- Gun Laws
- Highly restrictive / banned
Cannabis in the United States → · Where is cannabis legal? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.