In Blow to Drug War, House Backs Decriminalizing Pot as Voters OK Legalization Ballot Initiatives

Democracy Now! looks at how the House of Representative voted Friday to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level and "address the devastating injustices caused by the War on Drugs," as voters in Arizona and New Jersey approved ballot measures in November that legalize the possession and use of recreational marijuana for adults aged 21 and up.

Oregon also became the first state to decriminalize low-level drug possession while legalizing the recreational use of psychedelic mushrooms under Measure 110.

Ronald Newman, national political director for the American Civil Liberties Union, says the overall trend toward undoing the drug war is positive.

"We are developing a collective consensus that we need not throw people behind bars for use of marijuana, and we should be happy about that progress," he says.

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