Mid-term elections were held in the United States yesterday. In addition to all the senate and congressional seats that were up for grabs, voters in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C. also weighed in on a referendum to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
Similar to voters in Colorado and Washington State in 2012, voters in those three jurisdictions approved the measure. Unlike Canada, where criminal law is strictly a federal matter, the U.S. has kind of a hybrid system, so even though cannabis is still a big no-no at the federal level and in most states (outside of for medical purposes), individual states can approve legalization measures.
You can read more in this Slate report.
