The recent DOJ memo stating there would be no federal interference in Colorado or Washington or other states that strictly regulate marijuana culture or sales may have opened the door for more states to decriminalize marijuana.

Some states have been interested in legalizing marijuana but wanted to wait and see how the DOJ would respond to the new laws in Colorado and Washington. Well the answer is here.

There was fear that the states would be sued but the DOJ admits that this course of action would be difficult to win in court. Such a challenge to states carrying out the will of the voters would most likely wind up at the Supreme Court and most likely lose.

Nevertheless, some policy experts predict that 1 out of 5 states will have legal recreational marijuana for American adults by 2016, and even some legalization critics like columnist David Frum have conceded that before long, half of US states will probably sanction recreational use. http://news.yahoo.com/legal-marijuana-most-states-head-way-140307734.html

There may be several states that will legalize recreational marijuana possibly by 2014. Alaska will probably legalize then and Oregon may follow suit. Maine is also likely to legalize.

Some states do not have initiatives and therefore laws must be passed by their legislature. Hawaii has been waiting and watching. Rhode Island and New Hampshire fall into this group.

But 2016 promises to be a turning point in ending marijuana prohibition and because it is a presidential election, voter turnout will be high, which favors passage of marijuana legalization initiatives. Expect California to pass an initiative along with Arizona and Nevada.

There may be more states jumping on the 2016 bandwagon and there may be other states that legalize medical marijuana. Florida is working hard to get a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot. Massachusetts may legalize recreational use in 2016.

The tide is turning on marijuana prohibition. With 20 states having legal medical marijuana and two states legal recreational marijuana and 52{2b4a1a3f3bbc9c5a43771f34362679a3afcf9df24c0d9f4fe2fa80a69d802033} of Americans favoring legalization we are sure to see more states legalize marijuana.

Marijuana legalization is coming to a state near you, and maybe even to a state you live in.

(c) Medical Cannabis News – Read entire story here.