The people of the United States love getting high. How do I know this? Well, there was a recent article in the International Business Times that reported on the topic. In case you don't want to click on the link and read through the short article, here is the synopsis. Legal, medical and recreational marijuana sales surpassed the sales of Cheetos, Doritos, and Funyuns combined. Let's be real, though, these stoners across America probably helped the sales of those chip companies. The total sales of legal marijuana just last year totaled $5.4 billion.

The sales of legal marijuana aren't just a one-hit wonder either. The International Business Times also reported that the sales of marijuana are supposed to rise this year by 25 percent, putting 2016 sales at an estimated $6.4 billion. Sales of marijuana are expected to increase by 30 percent annually over the next five years, putting sales of legal marijuana at $22 billion in annual revenue by 2020.

The business community is taking notice of legal marijuana as well. “I think that we are going to see in 2016 this next wave of investors, the next wave of business operators, and people who’ve sort of been watching or dipping their toe in, really starting to swing for the fences and take it really seriously,” ArcView CEO Troy Dayton said.

I'm from one of the two states to first legalize marijuana for recreational use. In fact, I'll even be more transparent than that, and admit that I voted for the legalization of marijuana. I just have one question. Doesn't this prove that my vote was correct, and we should just move on and skip the whole state by state issue and pass legalization federally? I think that was two questions, but regardless, I think I'm right.

Legalization of marijuana is one of those rare issues that can unite us. Annoying liberal hippies like myself smoke it; rednecks with horrible country music taste smoke it, and everyone in between does as well. For the more conservative leaning people, it's a personal freedom issue. Why should the government tell you what you can and cannot put into your body? For the business adventurer out there, it's an opportunity to make millions of dollars. The more left-leaning side can use the issue for social justice by saying the legalization of marijuana will be a step towards putting less people in, mostly of color, behind bars for years for a non-violent offense.

Please, America I'm begging you, let's just get on with it. It's not a matter of if marijuana will be legal federally, but when it will be legal federally. So can we just fast track it? We already know you're smoking it. We already have alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine (one of the most unregulated drugs we have), and prescription drugs. Can't we just add marijuana to the list? Can't we all just come together as one, smoke a bowl or two and be happy that for once in this deeply divided political climate we all can agree that marijuana isn't that bad?