Neither the administration nor Congress is ready for a serious dialogue on ending marijuana prohibition, though. Congress is even stymied when it comes to medical marijuana — many elected officials still insist they can’t spend their political capital on it. With support for medical marijuana at 81 percent, one has to wonder — just how popular does something have to be before elected officials are willing to stand up to the vested interests behind the war on drugs?

Since the public is so far ahead of national policymakers, I think the best we can hope for is that the federal government allows change to continue bubbling up from the state and local levels. That’s the nature of movements for individual freedom and social justice — the people lead, elected officials follow grudgingly.

It’s only a matter of time before marijuana is taxed, controlled, and regulated in the United States. The tragedy is that in the meantime tens of billions of dollars will be wasted, and millions of people will be harmed by our marijuana laws. It’s up to us — as conscientious members of society who care about science, compassion, health, and human rights — to make sure that the time comes as soon as possible.

via The Beginning of the End of Marijuana Prohibition | Criminal Justice | Change.org.