For people who still don’t believe that medical marijuana is a mainstream issue supported by a majority of Americans, last night’s GOP Senate  primary in Kentucky provided just one more example.

Newcomer Rand Paul, son of Republican congressman Ron Paul, defeated establishment candidate Trey Grayson, in part, because of his support for medical marijuana laws.

Here’s how the L.A. Times described it:

“Grayson and his allies sought to portray Paul, a Bowling Green eye doctor, as something of a kook. They cited, among other things, his support for legalizing medical marijuana […] But the criticism served mainly to rally Paul supporters — many of whom backed his father for president in 2008 — and helped reinforce his image as a political outsider.”

If this can happen in conservative Kentucky, it can happen anywhere. Politicians of all stripes need to realize they have nothing to fear by supporting compassionate laws that protect seriously ill patients—and in fact, much to gain.

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I have to admit I was a little nervous when I first heard “South Park” was airing an episode about medical marijuana this week. The show’s creators have spent the last 13 years mocking public policy issues both credible and contemptible, and—as much as I try to have a sense of humor about these things—I was legitimately worried that the same guys who recently referred to Sarah Jessica Parker as a “transvestite donkey witch” might not portray medical marijuana in the best possible light.

Luckily, I thought last night’s episode—about the opening of the first medical marijuana dispensary in South Park—managed to make the show’s requisite outrageous jokes without going too far in attacking state medical marijuana laws. I especially liked the following line from an employee at the new South Park dispensary: “We can’t just sell the marijuana to anybody. You need a reference from your doctor to show it’s necessary.”

It’s not a huge leap to assume that as Colorado residents, the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, may themselves have seen dispensaries up close. It’s also worth mentioning that last night’s episode included an accompanying side plot that shows how doing anything to excess can be bad for you, and how making a highly demanded product illegal can lead to “underground black markets, death, and shootings.”

Gee, what does that sound like?

For those who haven’t seen it, you can watch the episode for free at SouthParkStudios.com.

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Monday’s Gallup poll showing that a record 44% of Americans favor making marijuana legal has brought increased attention to the need for an open, national debate on marijuana policy.

The fact that 44% percent of people favor taxing and regulating marijuana is even more impressive because—in stark contrast to many other public policy issues—for once, a substantial number of Americans actually view an issue favorably.

After all, Americans are a finicky bunch. We don’t like much these days, and in 2009 it’s impressive for anything to get 44% approval ratings. In fact, according to the latest numbers from a variety of polling sources, the idea of taxing and regulating marijuana enjoys higher support among the American public than the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the top Democrat and top Republican in the House of Representatives, and—perhaps not surprisingly—Congress itself.

Take a look at these figures:

Based on these numbers, as well as the growing mainstream media coverage of marijuana issues, there is no longer any doubt that Americans see marijuana policy reform as a legitimate mainstream issue worthy of national debate. Let’s keep talking!

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