Colorado and California legalized recreational use of marijuana but it 's illegal under federal law . Mark Osler : What makes this development fascinating is that it brings into conflict two important strains of political thought in America : federalism and moralism . Two ideologies clash over whether U.S. should override new drug laws . Osler : Federalists say state laws must exist ; moralists say we need national drug laws . U.S. should honor states , he says ; federalism is in Constitution , and opposition is not .
Colorado and California legalized recreational use of marijuana but it 's illegal under federal law . Mark Osler : Two ideologies clash over whether U.S. should override new drug laws . Osler : Federalists say state laws must exist ; moralists say we need national drug laws . U.S. should honor states , he says ; federalism is in Constitution , and opposition is not .