A benefit of having states joined in a federation is that the states have always served as test labs for policy changes. In the area of drug law reform that role has been frustrated by the unclear and inconsistent application of federal drug laws in states which have passed laws legalizing some or all types of marijuana use. A program should be created to allow states to apply for waivers from federal drug law so that they can experiment with new policies and regulatory schemes regarding marijuana in an orderly and controlled manner. Such a system could require states to present a proposal laying out the regulatory scheme as a requirement of the waiver and could require that a portion of any tax revenues obtained go toward increased enforcement to prevent interstate drug movement.
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