Every “is it legal in [state]” page on this site is built the same way. This page explains the steps, what our status labels mean, and where the limits of our research are.
Step 1: Start from the law, not from other websites
For each state and topic we begin with the state’s own sources: the code section or statute, bills passed in recent sessions, rules adopted by the responsible agency (a department of agriculture, health, alcohol control or cannabis regulator), formal attorney general opinions, and court decisions. Where an official copy exists online we read it and link to it. We use legal-tracking services, law-firm analyses and local reporting to find developments and to confirm dates, and we cite them as secondary sources.
Step 2: Check what changed recently
Laws in the areas we cover change often, and much of what ranks online describes rules that are years out of date. For every page we look specifically for bills, rules, court rulings and enforcement actions from the current and previous year, and we record them in the page’s timeline with dates.
Step 3: Verify every claim against a primary source
A draft is prepared with the help of AI tools and then checked line by line by a human editor. Each legal claim must be traceable to a source listed on the page. Claims we could not verify against a primary source are either removed or clearly marked as unconfirmed. We also check for a common problem in this space: websites that cite bill numbers or “bans” that do not exist. If a bill number does not appear on the legislature’s own site, it does not appear on ours.
Step 4: Label the status honestly
Each state page carries one of five status labels. They mean:
| Label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Legal | No state law restricts the product or activity beyond what federal law requires. |
| Legal, regulated | Legal for adults, but under a state licensing, age, testing or labeling regime. |
| Restricted | Legal only in limited forms — for example, only through licensed dispensaries, only below a potency cap, or only certain product types. |
| Banned | Prohibited by statute, agency rule or a controlling court decision. |
| Gray area | Conflicting authority, an enjoined law, or enforcement that varies by county; the honest answer is that it is unsettled. |
Step 5: Date it and keep it current
Every page shows the date it was last reviewed and the name of the editor responsible. Pages on hemp, cannabis and gambling are re-checked at least every 60–90 days and whenever a law or ruling changes. Older pages that have not been re-verified are updated or taken down.
Limits of our research
- We cover state law. City and county ordinances can add rules (age limits, zoning, local bans) that we do not track.
- How a law is enforced can differ from what it says. Where we know enforcement is uneven or contested, we say so.
- We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. For anything that matters to you personally, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Found a mistake?
Email alex@legalbystate.com with the page and the source. Corrections are noted on the page.