As of January 2021,15 states have already passed laws to legalize and regulate cannabis: 

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Illinois
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• Oregon
• South Dakota
• Vermont
• Washington

All but Illinois and Vermont were by ballot initiative. Ballot initiative is a participatory democracy process that empowers the people to propose legislation and to accept or reject the laws at the polls independent of the lawmaking power of the governing body. An initiative is a type of election commenced and carried out by the people and its purpose is to permit the electorate to resolve questions where their elected