The legal cannabis industry has expanded at an incredible pace in recent years. In North America, legal pot sales grew by 33% to $9.7 billion in 2017, according to a new report from ArcView Market Research, in partnership with BDS Analytics. Meanwhile, in the U.S., we've seen 29 states legalize medical weed over the past 22 years, beginning with California in 1996, and nine states OK the right for adults to use recreational cannabis since November 2012.However, there may soon be a 10th legal recreational pot state to add to the list: New Jersey.Since taking office this January, Gov.