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District of Columbia

State · United States

Legal with limits

#17 of 51 in United States
would rank #4 among countries

Recreational: LegalMedical: Legal

2 oz, six plants (three mature) and gifts of up to 1 oz are legal. Congress blocks licensed adult-use sales, so access runs through self-certified medical dispensaries.

State

Score breakdown ▏world average

Federal law still prohibits non-medical cannabis everywhere in the United States; these scores describe state law. Counties and cities can add their own rules, and state law does not apply on federal land. Select a segment to show or hide the rules.

Possession · 25%5/10 United States: 4

adds 12.5 of 25 points

2 oz is legal. More is a misdemeanour with up to six months.

Personal cultivation · 25%4/10 United States: 3

adds 10.0 of 25 points

Six plants per adult, three mature.

Punishment & enforcement · 20%6/10 United States: 2

adds 12.0 of 20 points

Nothing within the limits; public use is handled by citation.

Sharing & gifting · 10%5/10 United States: 4

adds 5.0 of 10 points

Gifts of up to 1 oz between adults are legal.

Consumption · 10%3/10 United States: 3

adds 3.0 of 10 points

Private only, and federal land — a large part of the city — is off-limits entirely.

Legal access · 10%4/10 United States: 5

adds 4.0 of 10 points

No licensed adult-use shops, because Congress blocks them. Adults can self-certify as medical patients and buy from dispensaries.

Sources

Last updated: 4 October 2026

District of Columbia

Score breakdown ▏world average

Sources

Other states 51 scored