Overlooked by many in the wake of bigger election results, Washington state and Colorado have quietly legalized marijuana through ballot initiatives setting up potential legal show downs with federal government. 

Does the federal government have the right to regulate the growth and distribution of a plant if it doesn't cross state lines? The Obama administration hasn't taken a very hard line against state sanctioned marijuana sales over the last four years, but they haven't completely ignored it either. However the administration approaches this it will probably set precedent for similar referendums across the country,