The Odessa Record -

In 2012, state voters decided to go where no other state ever had — they legalized adult-use marijuana, reversing 70 years of policy that by most measures was a waste of time and money.

The prohibition against marijuana consumption had virtually no effect on its price, avail-ability, or use. And yet, in that same time period, we taxpayers had to foot the bill for enforcement and incarceration.

For many — like me the vote to legalize marijuana was not a vote to endorse its use. It was a vote to act in a pragmatic manner. Simply put, a lot of the “yes” votes came from people tired of...