A high-powered coalition of public figures led by a former U.S. attorney and the Seattle city attorney is launching a drive to legalize marijuana in Washington state, The Seattle Times reports. A high-powered coalition of public figures led by a former U.S. attorney and the Seattle city attorney is launching a drive to legalize marijuana in Washington state, The Seattle Times reports.

The group, which includes the state chapter of the ACLU and travel guide Rick Steves, aims to gather more than 240,000 signatures to put the initiative before the Legislature.

Former U.S. attorney John McKay, who led federal anti-drug efforts in the state before he was fired by the Bush administration, says he hopes the initiative will help "shame Congress" into ending the federal ban on pot.

He says current law is "stupid" and has created a black market exploited by international cartels and crime rings, The Times reports.

"A lot of Americans smoke pot, and they're willing to pay for it," McKay says. "I think prohibition is a dumb policy, and there are a lot of line federal prosecutors who share the view that the policy is suspect."

City Attorney Pete Holmes says taxing sales of marijuana would bring in at least $215 milion a year to the state.