# What to call jurisdictions that either allow or disallow marijuana **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 7, 2016, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392 "2016-02-07T06:18:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/1 "2016-02-07T06:18:49Z")
In the U.S., recreational marijuana is legal in several states like Colorado and Washington and medical marijuana has been legalized in many more. However, while the trend recently has been toward legalization, I still it’s going to take many years–if ever–before marijuana is completely legal for adult use in the entire country because the puritanical mindset is just too strong in many places. For example, Prohibition was lifted over 80 years ago but there are still many dry cities and counties in the US (especially in the Bible Belt). With that in mind, what terminology should be used to describe jurisdictions where marijuana is legal or illegal (i.e., the pot equivalent for “wet” and “dry”)? Let’s discuss. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/2 "2016-02-07T06:26:31Z")
“high” or “low”? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/3 "2016-02-07T11:24:57Z")
Green/Non-Green? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/4 "2016-02-07T12:13:05Z")
Cool and Uncool, man. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/5 "2016-02-07T12:36:52Z")
Not a General Question. Moved to IMHO. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/6 "2016-02-07T13:02:10Z")
We have been talking about where to live post retirement. Those states with the most liberal cannabis policies are called “possibilities”. At the other end of the spectrum are the “no way in hells”. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/7 "2016-02-07T13:14:13Z")
How about: “open weed state” (recreational OK), “closed weed state” (medical only) or “no weed state”. Or: “hempful state”, “hempsome state” or “hempless state”. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/8 "2016-02-07T13:19:34Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > How about: “open weed state” (recreational OK), “closed weed state” (medical only) or “no weed state”. That is only one word less than “States that allow marijuana” and “States that prohibit marijuana”. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/9 "2016-02-07T14:36:05Z")
How about “mellow” and “harsh”? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/10 "2016-02-07T14:55:09Z")
How about, “Straight” and “Wow, Man, Look at That Tree, It’s Like So Green, Dude.” ---
**Author:** ![jerry\_smissingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@jerry\_smissingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerry_smissingfinger)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/11 "2016-02-07T15:27:43Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > We have been talking about where to live post retirement. Those states with the most liberal cannabis policies are called “possibilities”. At the other end of the spectrum are the “no way in hells”. Same here:) ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/12 "2016-02-07T21:08:23Z")
“Righteous” and “Bummer, Man” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/13 "2016-02-07T21:23:23Z")
Soon, it might be “West” and “East”. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/14 "2016-02-07T21:27:28Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Soon, it might be “West” and “East”. Not if Maine has anything to say about … which I’m betting is going to happen in the next few years. There’s already a petition for recreational usage floating around that should have the requisite number of signatures to make it to the ballot. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/15 "2016-02-08T09:38:53Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Not if Maine has anything to say about … which I’m betting is going to happen in the next few years. There’s already a petition for recreational usage floating around that should have the requisite number of signatures to make it to the ballot. With its present governor, I would think any legalization or even any decriminalization efforts would be doomed to fail. In fact, from what I know about Governor LePage, it would seem more likely there’d be a crackdown on marijuana use in the state followed by a double-down on penalties for its possession and sale. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/16 "2016-02-08T14:05:21Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > With its present governor, I would think any legalization or even any decriminalization efforts would be doomed to fail. In fact, from what I know about Governor LePage, it would seem more likely there’d be a crackdown on marijuana use in the state followed by a double-down on penalties for its possession and sale. One might think; however we’re already into our 5th year (I think … can’t quite remember) of medical Marijuana without the governor’s interference and truth be told LePage doesn’t have as much power as he thinks. He’s probably the most unpopular governor we’ve had in a coon’s age. He may even be on the impeachment hook soon enough for screwing over one of his political rivals by withholding funds from a charter school unless they rescinded a job offer to said rival. Either way I’m feeling pretty confident that pot will be legal here soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/17 "2016-02-08T14:37:56Z")
Maybe “open state” and “closed state” could acquire those meanings. With “med state” for the middle ones (no pun originally intended, but it seems like a good one). ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/18 "2016-02-08T17:28:55Z")
Toker and Non-Toker districts. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/19 "2016-02-09T02:02:59Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > With its present governor, I would think any legalization or even any decriminalization efforts would be doomed to fail. In fact, from what I know about Governor LePage, it would seem more likely there’d be a crackdown on marijuana use in the state followed by a double-down on penalties for its possession and sale. As far as I know, and I’m fairly certain this is the case in all states that allow initiative petitions, they do not have to have the governor’s approval to become law. And while mj still may be illegal according to federal law, it is not the governor’s job to enforce those. He can only enforce the laws of his state. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-call-jurisdictions-that-either-allow-or-disallow-marijuana/745392/20 "2016-02-09T14:54:40Z")
“Breathable” and “Stinky”?