Change may finally be coming to the decades-long practice of expending major amounts of criminal justice resources on prosecuting and jailing people for marijuana possession. Missouri is part of a national trend to seriously consider the legalization of marijuana possession.

In fact, an initiative question on possession of marijuana may appear on the ballot in Missouri this November. Missourians would be asked to decide whether possession, use and even growing marijuana should be legal for anyone over 21. A related measure would allow for commercial distribution of both medical and non-medical marijuana.

Even if the legalization proposal passes in Missouri, marijuana would still be a controlled substance under federal law. But law enforcement agencies in Missouri would not be permitted to enforce the federal drug laws. The use of state funds for that purpose would be barred as well.

Medical marijuana is already legal in 16 states and the District of Columbia. Polling data indicates that the next step in several states may be outright legalization. Washington state is already planning to vote on this question in November. Several other states may do so as well, including Colorado, Michigan and Montana.

In Missouri, an initiative to vote on an amendment to the state constitution legalizing marijuana possession will require the collection of about 150,000 signatures to get on the ballot. Organizers have collected only 15,000 signatures so far. But they have until May 6 to get more.

The Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has voted to support the proposed initiative. The vote was unanimous.

Source: The Maneater, "Initiatives could legalize marijuana in November," Ian Servantes, Feb. 10, 2012