The Legality of Use and Consumption of Cannabis (Marijuana) in the United States of America

Abstract

In the United States of America (USA), the procurement, possession, and consumption of Cannabis and its associated products have remained prohibited at the federal level from the time of issuing the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) in the year of 1970. However, since the end of the twentieth Century, the legalization of cannabis use has become more open-minded and liberal. Under the current United States law, Cannabis is categorized as a Schedule I substance, classifying it as a substance likely to possess the excessive capacity for dependence and abuse with no documented legitimate medical use. However, based on the recent scientific reports on the use/abuse, various states have passed to authorize and legalize Cannabis for medical and recreational use. More recently, the federal government’s Hemp Farming Act of 2018 has removed hemp (Cannabis with less than 0.3% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from Schedule I controlled substances. However, since cannabis legality varies among the states and the federal government, it is crucial to know the amount authorized to possess, whether it may be shipped, and who is permitted to use it. The present chapter dwells on the current state/region-wise legality aspects of Cannabis in the USA.