With the 2024 election season in the rearview mirror, many Americans are looking ahead to 2025. The federal government continues debating cannabis reform while individual states consider policy shifts. Despite a poor showing for pot in the most recent election, lawmakers across the country continue to push for change.
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In addition to widening safe access to the plant, reform often brings an economic boon to communities. Which states could legalize pot in 2025? It turns out several may see the tides turn sooner rather than later.
Hawaii
Hawaii has inched closer and closer to full legalization over the last several years, seeing bills pass through the state’s House of Representatives only to die in the Senate. Democratic Governor Josh Green, who found the result to be “unexpected,” floated a possible compromise: expand the state’s medical marijuana program so that any condition would qualify, so long as a physician deems the plant a viable treatment option.
State officials are mulling the idea and seemingly gathering intel on demand for adult-use cannabis at the same time. The Hawaii Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation is currently seeking data from licensed operators to analyze the market as it stands and assess demand for recreational pot.
Karen O’Keefe of cannabis think tank Marijuana Policy Project recently told Marijuana Moment, “My money would be on Hawaii being the best bet for legalization in 2025.”
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South Carolina
Pot advocates in South Carolina are eyeing a pre-filed medical marijuana bill for the upcoming legislative session. The South Carolina Compassionate Care Act would create a restricted medical cannabis program that State Senator Tom Davis said meets residents where they’re at.
“It requires doctors in patient authorization, doctor supervision,” Davis told WSPA news. “It requires pharmacists to dispense it. It is a very conservative bill because that’s what South Carolinians want.”
The bill passed through the South Carolina Senate twice, but both times, it was stonewalled in the House of Representatives. Davis hopes 2025 is the year when the Palmetto State finally approves.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers recently declared weed legalization should be a priority for the Badger State in the upcoming 2025 session. The Democrat has voiced support for reform multiple times during his tenure, even saying he was willing to compromise with the Republican-controlled legislature to at least pass medical marijuana.
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The GOP has consistently rejected Evers’ efforts. However, they may reconsider after a recent poll revealed two of three people in rural Wisconsin (often more conservative voters) support cannabis reform. With their constituents on board, Republican leaders in the state may just reconsider their stance.
Pennsylvania
The Keystone State is a proverbial legalization island, with neighbors New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Ohio all having adult-use. Two state legislators want to see Pennsylvania make a change in 2025, filing a co-sponsorship memo outlining their plans for recreational legalization.
State Representative Dan Frankel, majority chair of the House Health Committee, is one of the memo’s supporters. He called cannabis reform a “moral obligation” and plans to help craft a bill focusing on restorative justice and public safety.
The vast majority of Americans support cannabis reform, and pro-pot advocates in the states above could see a win coming soon. Even if legislation fails to pass, the continuing push toward legalization is a sign that the plant isn’t going away any time soon. However, there’s a good chance these communities may see meaningful change in the year ahead.
