[free2OSS]

Big policy changes spends your political capital.

You are going to be getting angry phone calls. Better to get those angry phone calls in exchange for a spending bill that goes to your donors/constituents.

Elections have razor thin margins. What benefit does the politician get?

[ceejayoz]

> Big policy changes spends your political capital.

That's the point, though. It's not a big policy change - the map demonstrates that. Decriminalization is already the de facto situation in nearly the entire country.

Federal law with regards to marijuana is completely and openly ignored in much of the country. Dispensaries operate with relative impunity.