by Rep Jared Polis (Author), United States Representative Office (Author), Rep Earl Blumenauer (Author)

After decades of failed policies and tremors of varying intensity, the tectonic plates of marijuana regulation abruptly shifted November 2012 as the citizens of Washington and Colorado voted to legalize the drug for personal, recreational use.Smaller, earlier quakes first began in Oregon in 1973, when the state legislature passed legislation that made the penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana equivalent to that of a traffic ticket. In the 40 years that followed, 15 jurisdictions have developed similar policies.The next upheaval was the legalization of medical marijuana by states, starting with California in 1996. The therapeutic qualities of marijuana have since proved persuasive in states across the political spectrum. The movement to allow medical marijuana has gained more momentum and legitimacy, with a total of 18 states and the District of Columbia currently allowing this application.