(Newser) – In a development Gerald Ford probably didn't see coming when he appointed him to the Supreme Court back in 1975, Justice John Paul Stevens says it's time to legalize marijuana. The 94-year-old, who retired in 2010, compares alcohol to marijuana in an interview with NPR and says there's not that much distinction between the two. "Alcohol, the prohibition against selling and dispensing alcoholic beverages ... there's a general consensus that it was not worth the cost," he says. "And I think really in time that will be the general consensus with respect to this particular drug."

Asked about gay marriage, Stevens said the "dramatic change in public opinions" makes him believe "when people actually think through the issues, they’ll be willing to accept the merits of some of my arguments" and he is confident it will be allowed in every state. Stevens is currently promoting his book "Six Amendments," in which he proposes changes to the Constitution including banning the death penalty, enforcing limits on corporate cash in elections, and stricter gun control, MSNBC reports. (Read more John Paul Stevens stories.)

