7 States That Could Legalize Cannabis in 2026
While bingo-card favorites Florida, Wisconsin, Hawaii, and New Hampshire are off the list, the reform push continues for seven other contenders this year.
The race is still on for seven state cannabis legalization hopefuls in 2026, with legislative and signature-gathering deadlines more quickly approaching for some than others.
Idaho activists, for instance, are up against a May 1 clock to collect 70,725 valid signatures for a medical cannabis legalization initiative to land on the November ballot, and the numbers are looking strong.
By contrast, the Pennsylvania Legislature has until its Nov. 30 adjournment date to decide whether to take up adult-use proposals. Perhaps with the biggest appetite for reform this year, bipartisan leaders in both chambers of the commonwealth’s government are backing proposals to create a commercial marketplace as the governor continues his years-long demand for it.