General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Poll: Colorado Wants Marijuana Legalized, Regulated Like Booze and Smokes [View all]RainDog
(28,784 posts)I think we've reached a tipping point in American's opinion about this issue - and the feds cannot stop what is happening, no matter how much they want to do so.
The Colorado Democratic Party has endorsed this legalization vote.
When CA had Prop 19 on the ballot, major organizations and influential individuals supported the measure. Even though it did not pass, people saw these others on record in support of a major change in the law.
17 states have mmj laws on the books and others have laws pending - this is one-third of the states - the combined populations of those states, and those in other states who support this issue has reached the point at which the feds cannot arrest their way to compliance with what the majority perceives as bad law.
No doubt there may be push back - all this does is generate hostility toward the political group that does so. Democrats at the federal level would be STUPID to do this because their base OVERWHELMINGLY does not support such action.
For more than a decade, more than 70% of the population has favored legal medical mj - now polls indicate a majority who favor total legalization.
People will go from annoyed to ANGRY that this govt is willing to waste money arresting people for something that the majority views as no worse than alcohol.
Prohibition simply doesn't work. It's amazing that the feds have to relearn this lesson - but, apparently, they do - because some people make a lot of money enforcing laws that people don't want.