Legalizing Marijuana and Gay Marriage Seemed Impossible: New at Reason

It is 2012 in Washington state, where voters are facing an initiative to legalize recreational marijuana. The airwaves reverberate with ads on both sides. At a glance, it’s not always obvious which side is which. One pro-legalization ad features an authoritative man who introduces himself as “the former chief federal prosecutor.” Initiative 502, he says, “brings marijuana under tight regulatory control.” In another 30-second spot, a “Washington mom” looks up from her newspaper and coffee to declare that she does not like marijuana personally, but “what if we regulate it? Have background checks for retailers? Stiff penalties for selling to minors?”

In Alaska’s 2014 legalization campaign, a police officer intones: “Passing Ballot Measure 2 will allow law enforcement to focus on serious issues in Alaska.” Nevada’s spots in 2016 urge “voting Yes on 2 to regulate marijuana.”

You don’t need a Ph.D. to see the pattern, writes Johnathan Rauch.

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