Harvey Morgan, who served this area in the House of Delegates for three decades, was ahead of his time.

Just before retiring in 2011, the veteran Republican who spent his working life as a pharmacist, called for the decriminalization of marijuana possession. He also introduced legislation that would have allowed doctors to prescribe the drug to patients for various illnesses.

Neither proposal made it out of subcommittee.

Three years later, Senate Democrat Adam Ebbin of Alexandria has introduced legislation that would remove criminal penalties for simple possession of pot.

This time, pundits give the measure some chance of making it to the floor. Where it goes from there is anyone’s guess. But after all, in the years between measures, two states have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and boutique pot stores are springing up … paying taxes to states rather than costing them millions of hard-to-find tax dollars in law enforcement costs.

Morgan called his proposal...