The votes in Colorado and Washington to legalize marihuana for recreational use are a real turning point in the war on drugs, in my opinion. The Feds will have liimited options on how they respond.
Option 1. They can attack at the very start, and go after any dealer under the federal statutes, and end up with a serious state's rights vs. federal law issue. (This could create a new cash crop in Washingto and Colorado to eliminate interstate commerce and get rid of federal jurisdiction.)
Option 2. Take no action, and allow the sales to go on, but continue to enforce the laws on the books in other locations. Big problem in that selective enforcement never plays well in court, especially in front of a jury.
Option 3. Congress takes action and changes federal laws with respect to marihuana possession and sales.
A judge I have great respect for told me about 10 years ago that he expected to see marihuana legalized, licensed, and taxed like alcohol in his lifetime, given the changes in attitude among the general public on the issue. The governor of Colorado said as much in a press conference about the results of the election.
Should be interesting to watch how it plays out...