While a similar initiative failed in Oregon, and Proposition 19 (which called for limited legalization of cannabis) was defeated in California in 2010 (by seven percentage points), the outcome in Colorado and Washington sent a powerful message to the rest of the US. The results have not only created a conflict between US federal law and state legislation, but also signal a shift in attitudes not dissimilar to that concerning same-sex marriage.
尽管类似的草案在俄勒冈州没有通过，2010年加州也以7个百分点的多数拒绝了19号提案（Proposition 19，要求给予大麻有限的合法地位），但科罗拉多州和华盛顿州的结果向美国其他州传递了有力的信号。这一结果不但造成了美国联邦法律和州法律之间的冲突，也表明美国人民的态度变化，就像同性恋婚姻问题一样。