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Latest update (7/10/14): On Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Compassionate Care Act, making New York the 23rd state to legalize medical marijuana, albeit only in nonsmokable forms such as pills, oils, or vapors.

Colorado and Washington were just the start. The movement to end the prohibition of pot is catching fire, with legalization bills and ballot measures now being discussed in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Marijuana activists predict that recreational pot smoking will become legal this year in Alaska, Oregon, and quite possibly Rhode Island, which could be the first state to take the leap by a vote of its legislature. But that’s not all: 24 states are looking at creating or expanding medical-marijuana programs, or are vastly scaling back penalties for small-time possession. With a slew of polls now showing that most Americans think pot should be taxed and regulated like alcohol, it’s probably only a matter of time before legalization sweeps the nation.

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Reduced Penalties? Medicinal Recreational

Source: Norml, Marijuana Policy Project, news reports.