It helps when our representatives in government are willing to be educated too. 

"Michelle Alexander's presentation caused me to wonder if the hazards of marijuana use (of which there are clearly some) come close to the damage the criminalization of marijuana use has caused," Olson blogged.

I don't know how far this line of thought goes in the state Legislature, but it seems that an open mind is a start. And starting with marijuana seems an effective way of chipping away at a drug war that has cost us so much in lives and resources.

As long as we're discussing prosecuting drug offenses, another interesting note comes from the HBO series Real Time with Bill Maher. A few weeks ago former New York governor Eliot Spitzer was a guest on the program, and during the overtime segment broadcast online he said, "To spend prosecutorial resources on pot is ridiculous. ... I'd be in favor of legalized pot."

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