District of Columbia cannabis history
Reviewed
The attorney general says Initiative 71 took effect at 12:01 a.m. on February 26, 2015. Selling any amount remained illegal. The regulator’s license page describes medical cannabis retailer licenses, not an adult-use retail license.
This is a short history, not legal advice. The rules that apply today are on the District of Columbia cannabis laws page. A date is included only when the linked page states it.
At a glance
July 27, 2010D.C. Law 18-210, the medical-treatment act, became effective on July 27, 2010.
July 17, 2014The decriminalization act, D.C. Law 20-126, became effective on July 17, 2014.
February 26, 2015Initiative 71 allows adults 21 and older to possess less than two ounces, transfer up to one ounce without payment, and grow a limited number of plants. The attorney general says selling any amount remained illegal.
Initiative 71
- The Board of Elections certified the general election. Its tally for Initiative 71 is 115,050 for and 49,168 against.
- The attorney general ties that effective moment to the end of passive congressional review.
Licensed sales
- Congressional Research Service said Initiative 71 did not repeal the prohibition on sale for recreational use, and described an appropriations rider. That page does not by itself establish the rider’s later status. The live license page still describes medical cannabis licenses.
Sources
- selling any amount remained illegal
- medical cannabis
- became effective on July 27, 2010
- became effective on July 17, 2014
- 115,050 for and 49,168 against
- did not repeal the prohibition on sale for recreational use
Citations were checked against the linked pages on October 24, 2026. Claims without a statute, election result, regulator page, court opinion, or news report were left out.