The District of Columbia has joined Alaska and Oregon this November in voting whether or not to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The drug was recently decriminalized in the district.
The D.C. Cannabis Coalition garnered over 57,000 signatures in support of the ballot initiative, over double the 22,600 required to place the issue on the ballot.
The ballot initiative, if enacted, would legalize the possession of up to 2 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Residents could grow up to six cannabis plants within their residents and give up to one ounce of marijuana to another adult without penalty. It would also legalize the sale and use of drug paraphernalia.
The District of Columbia is seeking to join Colorado and Washington, who began the sale of recreational marijuana earlier this year. Its legalization efforts, however, may be hampered by congressional action: steps have already been taken to subvert DC's decriminalization laws.
Per the Washington Post, legalization of marijuana is a popularly supported issue.
The "War on Drugs" is a costly failure. It's time for sensible drug policy.
