Washington, DC, residents can now self-certify for medical marijuana without the need for a doctor’s note. The DC Council approved a measure in early July, paving the way for adults to verify their medical need for cannabis starting July 7 through the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration website.
While city-issued medical marijuana cards, which must be renewed every two years, cost as much as $100, the new registration system is free.
In addition to the nation’s capital, 38 states have legalized medical marijuana and 19 have approved selling, purchasing and possessing cannabis for recreational purposes.
In 2021, legal recreational cannabis alone was a $15 billion industry. That figure is on target to surpass $25 billion by 2025, according to Statista.
On the federal level, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act cleared the House in April and is now before the Senate. If passed and signed by President Joe Biden, it would legalize cannabis on the federal level, expunge the records of nonviolent offenders and fund social and criminal-justice programs in communities most impacted by overpolicing. The House passed the MORE Act mostly along party lines, but it faces a tougher battle in the Senate.
Here’s what to know about marijuana legalization, including which states have passed laws, what happens to the MORE Act next and how Americans feel about legal weed.
