I think it's the same with a lot of things that the American government grapples with, they only do it when there is a politically expedient reason to do it. Whether it's reducing student loans, outlawing noncompete clause, or marijuana, elected officials don't really seem to do anything helpful unless there's a clear advantage for themselves or their party.

Our government moves slowly, by design.

Trust me, you don't want to see a fast-moving American government.

But that's factually untrue.

Gallup polled support for legalization being in the minority, as recently as 2010. [1]

Now factor in the demographics of voters vs adults in general, and the timeline is the opposite of surprising.

[1] New High of 46% of Americans Support Legalizing Marijuana https://news.gallup.com/poll/144086/new-high-americans-suppo...