The first state to legalize recreational marijuana use is on track to see total sales top $2 billion by 2020. Colorado’s medical marijuana sales for this year are projected at $438 million, and recreational sales are forecast to reach $739 million. By 2020, medical cannabis sales are forecast to reach $663 million and recreational sales are expected to hit $1.34 billion.

Massachusetts, where voters last month chose to add recreational sales to already legal medical sales, is forecast to post sales of $1.07 billion in 2020, up from just $52 million in estimated medical cannabis sales in 2016.

The data were reported Wednesday by New Frontier Data and Arcview Market Research in separate reports on the cannabis markets in Colorado and Massachusetts.

Thanks to voters who checked “yes” for recreational marijuana legalization on this year’s election ballot, gift-giving during the holidays is about to get a lot more dank. But just because recreational marijuana is legal in a state doesn’t necessarily mean you can just give it away willy nilly. Make sure your holiday good cheer doesn’t come with a side of incarceration by using this handy guide to cannabis gift giving, organized by state.

Many say it could lead to fewer alcohol-related incidents, including sexual assault.

Some Harvard students are confident that campus life will improve now that Massachusetts has made marijuana fully legal.

According to a report from The Crimson, many of the University’s undergraduates believe the legalization of marijuana across the state, made possible through the recent passing of the voter initiative Question 4, will only have a positive influence.

Marijuana legalization brought unexpected challenges to Colorado, and it was rarely clear what part of state government was supposed to solve them, or how.

Businesses were selling marijuana-infused, animal-shaped candy attractive to children. Residents growing pot at home were selling it illegally in other states. Growers were applying pesticides to cannabis plants even though none was specifically approved by the federal government for such use.

Enter Andrew Freedman, Colorado’s pot czar, who is bringing together the state’s bureaucracy, marijuana industry, law enforcement community, and public health advocates to fix problems no other state had faced.

Puff, Pass & Paint, the nation's first cannabis-friendly art class, adds locations in Las Vegas and California as additional states legalize recreationally.

"Puff, Pass & Paint", the nation's first cannabis-friendly art class, continues to expand nationally with recreational legalization in California, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Maine. Based in Denver, the smokey art session has also expanded to Portland, Seattle, and Washington DC, with dates available in San Francisco and Las Vegas starting January of 2017. The company will add additional events and locations as legalization allows, with Boston, Portland, ME, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange County, CA scheduled for immediate expansion as well. 

A voter-approved law allowing adults to possess, grow and use limited amounts of recreational marijuana has now taken effect in Massachusetts, but it will still be at least another year before the state issues retail licenses to sell the drug. For now, that leaves recreational users with little choice but to buy it from illegal dealers.

The ballot measure passed last month by a margin of more than 240,000 votes out of nearly 3.8 million total votes cast.

Here’s a look at the new law, including what’s legal and what’s not.

It is now legal to possess, use, and home-grow marijuana for Massachusetts residents over the age of 21.

It’s official.

Marijuana is legal for possession, use, and home-growing starting Thursday for adults 21 and over.

The Governor’s Council, a Colonial-era body that vets judges and accepts election results, formally certified the results of Question 4 Wednesday afternoon. The initiative passed last month with 1.8 million people voting for the measure, despite the opposition of top politicians, the Catholic Church, doctors and business groups, and an array of other civic leaders. About 1.5 million people voted against it.

Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito gaveled in the pro-forma session of the council to certify all state election results.

While recreational marijuana will become legal in Massachusetts next week, it may be hard for the state’s pot smokers to get their supply. And it may also be hard to deal with the long list of don’ts, in comparison to the short list of dos with regards to the state’s new marijuana laws.

According to WBUR, the ballot question Massachusetts voters approved last month will take effect on Thursday, December 15. This will allow adults in the state to have “limited quantities” of recreational marijuana, and grow pot plants at home.

Billy Caldwell has spent a large chunk of his life being, in effect, a refugee. Forced to leave home because of a lack of services to effectively treat his condition. At just 11 years old this fighter from Castlederg, Co Tyrone has a severe life threatening form of epilepsy called intractable epilepsy. He is also a status epileptic.

Ask a Massachusetts marijuana activist for arboreal advice on what to do if you're growing it and you'll get this key piece of guidance: Do not electrocute yourself.

He didn't lead with that, but it remains solid advice, whether tied to growing marijuana or anything else.

"My suggestion to people who want marijuana here in Massachusetts is it would be very smart of them to grow it themselves," Bill Downing, the longtime activist, said at the outset of the interview.

This means, however, you are co-mingling three things that don't co-mingle very well, he added: Water, human beings and electricity for the indoor garden.

"I would suggest they be very, very careful," Downing said.