"to whether I favor decriminalization of ALL drugs, the answer is yes"Words mean things. With decriminalization, drugs remain illegal. Nothing changes except the penalty.
When a state decriminalizes say, marijuana, they set an amount (usually one ounce) under which mere possession is "decriminalized" to a misdemeanor rather than a felony. In some cases, this misdemeanor can later be expunged from one's record.
So, do you mean decriminalization or legalization?
Legalization with regulation. We all know that won't happen overnight. Who can seriously expect either major party to push for sudden Legalization of pot or cocaine after decades of procriminalization?
The Federal Government could do the right thing by staying out of initiatives brought at the state level regarding the use of medicinal marijuana. The federal government will eventually let the states decide when a political advantage can be gained.
I'm not naive. It may take decades before the Supreme Court hears and decides the breakthrough case