After a very close vote in November on whether to legalize marijuana, opponents of the measure have withdrawn their effort to recount the votes. This comes after the opponents were unable muster the ten volunteers they were required to contribute to the recount.

Maine becomes the eighth state to legalize marijuana in defiance of federal law. Thirty days after the governor certifies the result of the election, it will be legal for people 21 and over in Maine to posses up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, grow a modest number of plants at home, purchase or sell plants or marijuana from retail stores, and consume it in nonpublic locations (public consumption may result in a $100 fine, similar to tobacco consumption). There will also be a 10% tax on retail sales. You can read more about Proposition 1, including the full text, here.

This brings the total number of states that have either legalized marijuana, established a medical marijuana (or CBD) regime, or decriminalized marijuana to 45 (plus Washington D.C. and a few dozen cities): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

Only five states have made little progress toward marijuana legalization thus far: Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, South Dakota, and West Virginia.