Two years ago the U.S. states of Washington and Colorado became the world’s first legal marketplaces for recreational marijuana. In other words, people in those states can now legally use marijuana for pleasure, not just for medicine. A man VOA is calling “Ryan” is one of them. He is at a marijuana store in Denver. He shows a store worker a document that shows he is over 21 years old. Ryan is buying about a small amount of marijuana. It will be placed in a container that is difficult for children to open. Almost everywhere else in the United States, Ryan could be arrested for buying marijuana. And workers at the store could be arrested for selling it to him. “In the past, I would have to go to the black market. But now I can freely go to any shop that I please and I can really pick someone that I feel comfortable with as opposed to going and calling a random number that I would have no idea where it’s going.” One of the effects of making marijuana legal, Ryan says, is that buying it feels safer and more comfortable.