OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Washington is one of four states where measures to legalize and regulate marijuana have been introduced, and about two dozen other states are considering bills ranging from medical marijuana to decriminalizing possession of small amounts of the herb.

Legalization bills were introduced in California and Massachusetts earlier this year, and this month, New Hampshire and Washington state prefiled bills in advance of their legislative sessions that begin in January. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, but guidelines have been loosened on federal prosecution of medical marijuana under the Obama administration.

Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, a Seattle Democrat who is sponsoring the legalization bill in Washington state, said that she “wanted to start a strong conversation about the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana.”

Under her bill, marijuana would be sold in Washington state’s 160 state-run liquor stores, and customers, 21 and older, would pay a tax of 15 percent per gram.

Wait a minute.  A 15% tax “per gram”?  Does that make any sense?  Isn’t fifteen-percent of something still fifteen-percent no matter how much of it you have?  If I buy a gram that’s taxed 15% or I buy a ton that’s taxed 15%, the 15% is still 15%, right?

Also, I would caution Washington lawmakers about this idea of selling weed in the liquor stores.  We polled that idea in Oregon and it was soundly rejected by the tokers, the drinkers, and the teetotalers.  The pot smokers didn’t want marijuana associated with a dangerous drug like alcohol and a corrupt institution like the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.  The alcohol drinkers didn’t want a bunch of potheads in their liquor stores.  And the teetotalers thought putting weed with alcohol sent the message that weed is to be celebrated like alcohol is in our culture.

While these four states’ likelihood of actually passing legalization is fairly low, it is remarkable that marijuana legalization is now a topic that can be broached at our highest levels of government without being laughed out of the statehouse.