# What states will next legalize marijuana and what states will be the last?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-states-will-next-legalize-marijuana-and-what-states-will-be-the-last/678494
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [January 11, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-states-will-next-legalize-marijuana-and-what-states-will-be-the-last/678494 "2014-01-11T04:49:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 3

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### Author: ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-states-will-next-legalize-marijuana-and-what-states-will-be-the-last/678494/41 "2016-06-29T23:18:40Z")

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I’m thinking Maine will. Voters in the cities of Portland and South Portland have already made it legal.

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### Author: ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2016, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-states-will-next-legalize-marijuana-and-what-states-will-be-the-last/678494/42 "2016-06-30T00:03:40Z")

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My comment of 2.5 years ago reminds me how abruptly gay marriage got legalized all across the U.S. I’m sure I’ve made predictions in other threads about not expecting to see that until 2020 at least.

Since legalized weed isn’t likely to be a civil-rights issue that SCOTUS can abruptly rule on, and I don’t see the next president (whoever she may be) being likely to pursue a crackdown, I’ll hazard a guess of 10 states legalizing recreational use by 2020, with 3-8 more added each election cycle.

Texas, I’ll agree, is likely among the last to play along.

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### Author: ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2016, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-states-will-next-legalize-marijuana-and-what-states-will-be-the-last/678494/43 "2016-06-30T02:39:06Z")

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Generally speaking the northeast and west coast are the most progressive areas. They’ll come first.

Last states will be the deep south.

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### Author: ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-states-will-next-legalize-marijuana-and-what-states-will-be-the-last/678494/44 "2016-06-30T03:20:19Z")

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> [@Wesley\_Clark](#):
>
> Generally speaking the northeast and west coast are the most progressive areas. They’ll come first.
> 
> Last states will be the deep south.

Yep, the freedom loving blue states will eliminate this victimless crime while the red nanny state governments will continue to legislate morality and try to protect us from ourselves. 😃

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### Author: ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-states-will-next-legalize-marijuana-and-what-states-will-be-the-last/678494/45 "2016-06-30T15:52:36Z")

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Even some Republican lawmakers in Tennessee have brought up legalizing medical use, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see that in the next few years even in this deep red state. Recreational legalization is still a ways off, I would think.

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