Winning The Drug War By Ending It

DiA finds that drug reformers are in good spirits:

What's changed. There have been a few movements at the federal level, such as the administration's decision not to target federal dispensaries. As the drug-policy reformers generally get less attention or even lip service than the other groups mentioned above, they may be happier with smaller gains. There have also been several victories in the states, and there is a growing belief here that, because of congressional and presidential shirking of the issue, any national reform will be driven by momentum from the states.

Some of the advocates here seem to find that a bit chicken. Aaron Houston, the director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project, said that he's been trying to convince congresspeople (even among the Republicans and the Blue Dogs) that if they just come out in favour of reform they will tap a great silent source of votes: "You've got a large nexus between people who love their guns and people who love their pot! It really is a sleeper issue." That might be a slightly ambitious sell. But it is not surprising that the reformers are feeling more optimistic.