Top 10 Weed Friendly States to Move to in My Opinion…. man…

As more and more states legalize marijuana for both medical and recreational use, cannabis enthusiasts are looking for places to call home that are both cannabis-friendly and affordable. In this article which is really a blog that I won’t call a blog because it feels very 1998, we’ll take a look at the top 10 most marijuana-friendly states with somewhat affordable real estate. Please note ‘affordable’ is a relative term and this article is entirely my fucking opinion, not based on science as much as anecdotal evidence I have come across. Also if you want to rebuke it, go right ahead. Make a 3 part series on TikTok about how wrong I am. Mention my username. CANCEL ME PLEASE. Part of the consideration I give to these states being in my top 10 also relates to related progressive policy. Here is MY list of the top 10 Weed-friendly states to move to…. y’all.

#10 Oregon– Oregon legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2014, and it’s been a popular destination for cannabis enthusiasts ever since. Also, I really like Portlandia. Unfortunately, you have to go pretty far east to find affordable real estate in Oregon. Way out in the fucking middle of nowhere in fact. It can get a little supremacisty out there…However, it’s fucking beautiful and satellite internet is a thing now, so fuck it. Stoner mountain life it is. For the best bang for your buck check out Baker City, Ontario and Le Grande. This state makes the list because it has the cheapest legal marijuana prices in the United States [Oregon has the country’s cheapest legal-weed: Report]

#9 Colorado– Colorado was one of the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2012, and it has been on the forefront of Marijuana policy and legislation. You can barely call the state affordable, however. In fact only Pueblo made it on my series Affordable America last year.. However, WEED prices are third lowest in the country because of competition and being an early adopter. Obviously Colorado also has some big problems, like housing prices and that fact that most of it’s population resides in the desert portion of the state. Either way, the grass indeed may be GREENER in Colorado.. or at least cheaper Oh yeah and Colorado legalized magic mushrooms so there is that.

#8 Montana– Montana legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2020, making it another recent addition to the list of marijuana-friendly states. Unfortunately Montana has very few affordable places left to live. Best bang for your buck can be had mostly out in the middle of nowhere but specifically Glendive, Miles City and Butte (kinda). Montana is also considered a safe haven for climate change concerned folks. [Disaster report names Montana safe haven for climate migrants]. My main issues with the state are how overly pandering they have been to older conservatives passing multiple anti-lgbtq laws in the past few years. Yeah, another YOU CAN’T HAVE DRAG QUEENS READING TO KIDS state… But hey, some stoners are bigots so ummm MONTANA. Oddly weed prices Montana are 4th cheapest in the USA. Another reason they made the list.

#7 Arizona– Arizona legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2020, making it one of the most recent states to do so. The state has a growing cannabis industry, and there are a few affordable places to live relatively speaking like Bisbee (My pick) and outskirts of Tuscon and Yuma. AZ ranks 9th cheapest marijuana prices in the USA. This is another state to me that benefits from two things to ME personally. 1.) The proximity to Mexico for dental and medical care. 2.) NO FUCKING SNOW in much of the state. I would rather suck the last drop from a cactus than shovel snow ever again in my fucking life.

#6 Nevada– Nevada legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2016, and it’s quickly become a popular destination for cannabis enthusiasts and gambling addicts alike. The state has a certain outlaw element to me which I dig. It is largely a desert which probably would not sit well with my eczema, however the state also has 6th best weed prices in the country and the economy is ranked BEST in the country [New report ranks Nevada’s economy first in nation] I really want to see casinos based around weed where there are just slot machines with those little bubble gum machines plastic contains with the pop lids full of dank ass buds and vape carts and shit. Also, I really liked the book and move FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS

#5 New York– I don’t know why it took so damn long but New York State, as Liberal as it is FINALLY fully legalized recreational Marijuana in 2021. New York along with now being truly ‘patient’ friendly has also passed legislation protecting LGBTQ folks [New York Passes Historic Transgender Anti-Discrimination Law] and they pay their servers $10 an hour plus tips. That shit is $5.05 an hour in Ohio (where I live) still. Jesus why do we live in the stone ages here. The state has ALMOST it all. It has mountains, deep forests, bustling cities, beautiful coastlines and come back Rust Belt cities like Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. It even has Niagara Falls! They pay teachers better than most states and are one of the states with the lowest risk due to climate change. I am headed directly through NY this summer, so lots of videos of the state to come!

#4 Maine– Maine legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2016, and has become one of the most marijuana-friendly states in the country. The state has a smattering of affordable places to live, specifically cities like Augusta, Lewiston, and Waterville. I am headed to Maine this summer to check it out. I don’t think I could live there though because it is pretty far north and even when we are going in June the ocean isn’t swimmable because it is so fucking cold. Maine, also despite being a very large state is just six hours from a ton of the NE. So traveling to NYC, Boston, Philadelphia and all of Upstate NY is just hours of driving.

#3 Illinois– Want an affordable state where you can find houses under $300k all day long and a relatively easy time finding quality marijuana retailers. Consider Illinois. The state legalized Marijuana in 2019 and now has a thriving cannabis industry. In 2022 the state raised 462 Million in tax revenue from Marijuana sales, 8% of which came from out of state buyers! Chicago isn’t crazy pricey for a big city, but if you are into a smaller town vibe, check out Champaign, Peoria and Carbondale. They also spend a significant portion of the tax revenue on mental health and recovery programs [How Will Illinois Spend Cannabis Revenues?]

#2 New Mexico– New Mexico legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2021, making it the most recent state to do so. Since Texas has remained pretty unfriendly to the reefer, Texans are coming to New Mexico in droves for Marijuana tourism and stock ups. Though poverty has been an issue in New Mexico for decades, the revenue from Marijuana sales is sure to have a positive impact on the state in the very near future. Not to mention to me New Mexico is like budget Colorado. It has tons of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities but less of that crazy high cost of living. Check out Silver City, Roswell, Las Cruces and Hobbs for affordable options. If you live in Las Cruces you can even cross the border into Mexico for health care! Part of me really just loves New Mexico because of that time when I was 19 years old when I drove through New Mexico and thought it would be a good idea to drop acid and drive the same route up Route 666 (now Rt 491) that Mickey and Mallory did in Natural Born Killers. Jesus, could I have done anything more 1994? [Why Americans Leave the United States for Healthcare: Paper by Andie Taylor]

#1 Michigan– Michigan legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2018, and it’s been a popular destination for cannabis enthusiasts ever since. Myself included, being stranded in the red hell that is Ohio since 2016. I visited Detroit for a how not long ago and really loved the billboards right across the state line letting you know they will deliver weed to you anywhere. Parking lot, campground, Rest Area? No Problem! The state has plenty of affordable places to live, especially in cities like Detroit, Kalamazoo and Benton Harbor (if ya wanna be close to the lake). Michigan is also knocking it out and becoming the ‘anti-Florida’ with progressive policies lately including Adding Anti-discrimination laws for LGBTQ folks. What does that have to do with being weed friendly? Fucking nothing. However, gotta make room for our LGBTQ folks in the smoking circle, yall. Michigan is also low on the list of Climate Risk.

Whether you’re looking for a big city or a small town, there’s a marijuana-friendly state out there that’s right for you. Please as always, remember that I have not lived in ANY of these places so you are going to have to visit and spend some time in any of the cities I suggest before committing to living there full time. You need to do your own research and just use my suggestions as a starting point. So pack a bowl, hit the vape and get to doing a deep dive on your next 420 friendly move.