Yes, you have a point. In Colorado the pot became legal due to a citizen originated changing of the state constitution. Government was not the instigator.
I remember dry counties in Texas when I was young. Just looked, there are still 6 dry counties in Texas. Alcohol is probably the most popular drug in America and the world.
When I moved from Seattle to Kentucky in 2011, I was surprised to find two of the most stupid laws ever enacted still in force:
Prohibition
School busing
The prohibition one is dying fast. The latter seems to be taking longer. Fortunately it is a blue county thing.
I’ve said for a very long time that instead of spending billions to try to stop citizens from doing something that most support, we could MAKE billions off them doing it.
Sin taxes exist for a reason.