Washington state is poised to become the first state in the country to legalize cannabis, following the passage of a bill earlier this year.
Washington’s governor signed the bill into law on Tuesday, just two days after the bill’s supporters celebrated its passage with a celebratory ceremony.
The legislation, which will take effect on July 1, will allow adults 21 and over to possess and cultivate cannabis and grow it for personal use.
It also gives the state’s attorney general the authority to prosecute those who violate the law.
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) and the Washington State Patrol will be in charge of enforcing the new law, which is similar to the recreational marijuana market in Colorado.
The law will allow people over 21 to grow up to eight plants, but the legal limit will be six plants.
The WSLCB will issue licenses to grow, harvest and sell cannabis at a retail store.
The measure will also allow recreational cannabis sales in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with the exception of Alaska, where the sale of recreational cannabis will be restricted.
It will be the first US state to legalize marijuana for recreational use.
The US is one of only a few countries to have legalised the drug.
The US was the first country to decriminalise cannabis possession in 1994, and since then the use of the drug has steadily declined.
