00_iyc_tjd_hc_summit_800px.jpg. Share this article. Good intentions do not guarantee good regulations. Unintended consequences often eclipse the improvements a rule aims to make, ultimately causing more harm than good.
The state's voters legalized medical marijuana in 1998. Prior to Tuesday's vote, 23 states and the District of Columbia had legalized marijuana for medical purposes, while Colorado and Washington were the only states to allow recreational marijuana use.
Leading up to the election, recreational marijuana use was legal in four states: Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, along with Washington, D.C. With the addition of California, Massachusetts and Nevada, the percentage of Americans living in states where marijuana use is legal for adults rose above 20 percent, from 5 percent.