5 states including Florida could see recreational marijuana legalized in 2024. Here's where

Before you start rolling up, it's better to know which states are rolling out recreational marijuana legalization measures this year.

Although some efforts to legalize it may not come to fruition, five states have pot decriminalization efforts in the works for 2024, reflecting Pew research that shows nearly nine in 10 Americans support legal recreational weed.

Even though two dozen states have legalized recreational weed, with five more now making serious moves toward that effect, psychoactive plant is still illegal at the federal level. This could be the year that more that more than half the country has access to weed, despite its categorization by the Drug Enforcement Agency as a Schedule I drug.

Which states are looking at potentially loosening weed laws this year?

Florida recreational marijuana possible

Smart and Safe Florida collected over a million petition signatures to put adult personal use of marijuana legalization on the 2024 ballot.

The state is arguing before the Supreme Court that the amendment fails to accurately inform voters that marijuana would still be illegal under federal law. If the Florida Supreme Court rules the referendum's language is legal by April 1, recreational marijuana will likely make it to the November ballot.

More: Most Americans want legal pot. Here's why feds are taking so long to change old rules.

Pennsylvania recreational marijuana legislation

This past year, political leaders in Pennsylvania on both sides of the aisle have signaled interest in legalizing marijuana recreationally — but the caveats are there. Republicans and Democrats in the Keystone State legislature have different ideas for regulatory framework for legal weed, media outlets like Axios have reported.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has pushed for marijuana legalization to take place this year despite legislative obstacles. Currently, a bill is being mulled by state lawmakers who hold the reigns over marijuana's future, according to SpotlightPA. The process in Pennsylvania contrasts the direct democracy approach taken by Florida activists whose petition will push the state government to take action one way or another, either through the court or the legislature.

New Hampshire governor willing to legalize marijuana

Although New Hampshire has previously made moves toward marijuana legalization, this year legislation is making its way through with the tacit support of the state's governor. Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, said in a statement last summer that he is "ready to sign a legalization bill," reversing a previous policy position.

New Hampshire's House of Representatives passed legislation that would legalize marijuana in February if it can clear subsequent hurdles. According to the New Hampshire Bulletin, the bill is now being fine-tuned by the House Finance Committee and must pass the House again and be submitted to the state Senate by April 11.

Hawaii legislature back and forth over legal weed

While marijuana bills in New Hampshire have had difficulty making it through the Senate even when passed by the House, Hawaii has the opposite problem. Although the law, which is backed by the state's governor and attorney general, would not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2026, it could be passed this year. Honolulu Civil Beat reported that legal weed passed the Senate handily earlier this year will now go to the House of Representatives for approval or rejection.

South Dakota petition could put marijuana on ballot

Activists in South Dakota have until May 7 to submit 17,509 signatures to put marijuana legalization on the ballot this fall, an obstacle South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws is hoping to overcome. South Dakota pot proponents have failed twice in the past, once after the effort was invalidated by the state's Supreme Court and a second time at the polls, according to South Dakota State University.

If enough signatures can be gathered, recreational marijuana could make its way to the polls this year where voters will decide its fate in the Mount Rushmore State.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Marijuana in Florida, 5 other states could be legalized in 2024