The editors concluded that "the balance falls squarely on the side of national legalization."

"We considered whether it would be best for Washington to hold back while the states continued experimenting with legalizing medicinal uses of marijuana, reducing penalties, or even simply legalizing all use. Nearly three-quarters of the states have done one of these. But that would leave their citizens vulnerable to the whims of whoever happens to be in the White House and chooses to enforce or not enforce the federal law."

This is a major development for legalization. However, as we discussed earlier, the greatest factor may be simple economics. Despite what has been alleged to be efforts to slow down the market and supply of legal marijuana (and the Obama Administration's effort to cut off water to marijuana growers), a huge market has emerged for medical and legal recreational marijuana with the attending tax revenues and investments. Legal marijuana is not just becoming more socially accepted in line with alcohol but it is becoming more profitable. That could be a critical combination.