In the immortal words of the Grateful Dead, "What a long, strange trip it's been."
The half-century-plus battle to legalize marijuana has indeed lasted a long time, but maybe not so much longer: Signs abound that the tragic era of Reefer Madness will end in the foreseeable future. On the other hand, that strangeness will continue to last for a while.
No fewer than 36 states including Missouri have legalized medical marijuana, and fifteen states including Illinois have legalized recreational use. There's a decent chance that Missouri voters will have the opportunity to follow suit next year. Only the possible resistance of Neanderthal legislators stands in the way.