February 24, 2015
Jae C. Hong/AP
Alaska became the third U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Recreational use of marijuana became legal in Alaska Tuesday, making it the third U.S. state whose residents can legally smoke pot for non-medical purposes.
Alaska voters approved Ballot Measure 2 in November, which allows adults 21 and older to smoke and grow weed. They may also transport up to 1 ounce of pot, possess up to six plants and gift up to 1 ounce of weed to other of-age adults, the International Business Times reports.
However, the buying and selling pot in the state will remain prohibited while lawmakers determine how to tax and regulate the industry, which most likely won’t happen until next year. Applications for the first business licenses will not be accepted until February 2016.
"Alaska now has some of the most sensible marijuana laws in the nation," said Dr. Tim Hinterberger, chair of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in a statement.
Information from Reuters was used in this story.
