Ezra Klein asks a good question:
What alignment of political forces and events would be needed for America to seriously rethink its drug laws? Would it have to begin in the states? Is it something a law-and-order Republican needs to do?
One of the better answers from Klein's comments:
The policies are already beginning to shift at the state level and in my opinion will only accelerate in the next several years as states continue to struggle with their finances. Sentencing reform and diverting prisoners to house arrest has become quite popular since the recession as a way to save money on new prison construction. In South Carolina, Governor Sanford signed a bill last year that saved the state 400 million over 5 years. Other conservative states like Kentucky and Oklahoma have followed suit this year. In addition Connecticut just last week decriminalized possession of marijuana.
The Dish 