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Education · the wider world

Prohibition is ending

The 20th-century consensus is unwinding. Country by country, governments are legalizing, decriminalizing, and reforming — though, as Thailand shows, the path isn’t always one direction.

Verified as of 2026-06-28. National-level changes; each entry is sourced and dated.

Where the U.S. stands today

Cannabis is now legal for adults in 24 states and D.C., legal for medical use in many more, and Georgia joined the comprehensive-medical column on July 1, 2026. Here’s the national picture.

U.S. cannabis legality by state, as of 2026-06-28. Status changes often — verify your state.

The world, country by country

  1. 2001 Decriminalization

    Portugal

    Decriminalized personal possession of all drugs, including cannabis. source

  2. 2010 Decriminalization

    Czechia

    Decriminalized personal possession and small-scale cultivation. source

  3. 2013 Adult-use legalization

    Uruguay

    First country in the modern world to legalize adult use (pharmacy sales began 2017). source

  4. 2016 Medical legalization

    Australia

    Legalized medical cannabis under a national licensing scheme. source

  5. 2017 Medical legalization

    Germany

    Legalized prescription medical cannabis in pharmacies. source

  6. 2018 Adult-use legalization

    Canada

    First G7 nation to legalize adult use nationwide. source

  7. 2018 Adult-use legalization

    South Africa

    Constitutional Court legalized private adult use (statute followed in 2024). source

  8. 2021 Adult-use legalization

    Mexico

    Supreme Court declared recreational prohibition unconstitutional (commercial framework still pending). source

  9. 2021 Adult-use legalization

    Malta

    First EU country to legalize personal adult use. source

  10. 2022 Decriminalization

    Thailand

    First Asian country to decriminalize cannabis. source

  11. 2023 Adult-use legalization

    Luxembourg

    Legalized home cultivation and private adult use. source

  12. 2023 Adult-use legalization

    Switzerland

    Launched regulated adult-use pilot trials in major cities. source

  13. 2024 Adult-use legalization

    Germany

    Legalized adult use — the largest EU economy to do so. source

  14. 2024 Medical legalization

    Ukraine

    Legalized medical cannabis, including for PTSD and chronic pain. source

  15. 2025 Reversal / tightening

    Thailand

    Reversed course — recreational sales banned, cannabis restricted to medical prescription. source

  16. 2026 Medical legalization

    United States

    Partial federal rescheduling under way — FDA-approved and state-licensed medical cannabis moved to Schedule III. source