The experiences of Colorado and Washington state — the first two states to legalize the drug still considered illegal under federal law — drive the trend.

When Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in November to legalize recreational marijuana, Josh Miller saw this as a sign that his time had finally arrived.

The Rhode Island state senator has a reputation among colleagues as a cannabis crusader — a battle that, so far, he’s lost.

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Kurtis Lee ~ LATimes.com ~