The Usenet Oracle has pondered your question deeply. Your question was:

> When will marijuana be legalized in the U.S.?

And in response, thus spake the Oracle:

} Dear Supplicant, } }    Here is a concise future history: } } 1997: Gov. Pete Wilson takes over the Presidency of the United States, } becoming the forty-third U.S. President, under his campaign promise: } "I smoked it, but it was made in the U.S. and provided jobs for five } hard-working U.S. citizens." } } 1998: Surgeon General McAffee produces report that smoking marijuana } converts people from type A personalities (aggressive) to type B } personalities (more laid-back), making them less susceptible to } heart attacks, strokes, ulcers, and voting outside the party line. } } 1999: (February 23)  Newt Gingrich passes a bill saying that no one } who has smoked marijuana, had sex with a married woman other than their } wife, or accepted a bribe worth more than $10,000 may hold public } office. } } 1999: (February 24)  To their immense surprise, Democrats retake the } House and Senate from the Republicans, due to the third measure of the } above bill. } } 2000: Pres. Wilson declares that 'more study is needed for } possibilities of legalizing marijuana'. } } ... oh, dear... let me flip through this... } } 2004: Pres. Mike Kinsley declares that 'more study is needed for } possibilities of legalizing marijuana'. } } 2008: Pres. Colin Powell declares that 'more study is needed for } possibilities of legalizing marijuana'. } } [flip] } } 2030: Pres. Wil Wheaton declares that 'more study is needed for } possibilities of legalizing marijuana'. } } Hrm.  I don't see it happening until the Great Islamic Uprising of } 2055, when alcohol is banned but kif becomes legal. } } You owe the Oracle a good grovel, some of the pottery that was removed } from the Mexican shipments marked 'Fragile: Archelogical Samples', and } four ounces of Erisian Gold.