New state laws: Marijuana, big cats and an Obama holiday

The Hill: Tens of millions of Americans can now legally purchase and use marijuana for recreational purposes. Millions more will have to show their identification when they go to the polls. And former President Obama’s birthday will be officially recognized by his home state.

Those are just a few of the tens of thousands of new laws that took effect in states across the country on New Year’s Day.

California on Monday became the sixth state to legalize the use and sale of marijuana for recreational purposes, thanks to a ballot measure the state’s voters approved in 2016. Adults in Maine and Massachusetts will be able to use recreational pot later this year.

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