The 2014 losers least likely to regain ground in future elections are marijuana prohibitionists.

Except for Florida. Geez, Florida, what the eff?

Oregon and Alaska just became the third and fourth states to legalize the drug. Washington, D.C., voted for legalization, as did the city of South Portland, Maine. The island territory of Guam chose to allow medicinal marijuana. And while Florida voters defeated a constitutional amendment legalizing medicinal weed, it required 60 percent support to pass and received roughly 58 percent of the vote. A healthy majority in the state want medical cannabis to be legal.

Related Story: Life With Legal Weed

The polities that rejected marijuana prohibition Tuesday will make it even harder for the federal government to crack down on the drug in any states where it is legal. The new laws will grow a marijuana industry that will spend some of its largess on lobbying.

The outcome was also notable for coming in a midterm, when younger voters are less likely to show up at the polls. Like earlier victories for recreational use in Colorado and Washington, Tuesday's results will reduce the taboo that surrounds legalization, making it easier to raise money for ballot initiatives in other states and easier to persuade voters that following suit won't have terrible consequences. 

Drug warriors also suffered another blow in California on Tuesday when voters handily passed Proposition 47, reclassifying common drug crimes as misdemeanors. That could portend a successful legalization push two years from now in the Golden State, where medicinal marijuana has long been permitted and demographics and voter turnout could make things tough on prohibitionists.

Washington DC should help a LOT with removing federal strictures.

I love that it's illegal federally but legal in Washington DC. Because that law is ridiculous.

Massive misinformational ad campaign against Amendment 2 with almost no push back.  That's what happened in Florida.

All Florida needed was 2% more. Next time this ballot initiative comes up it will pass.