“Optimism is required if you’re going to fight the War on Drugs for over half a century,” reflects Vince Sliwoski in a poignant piece on The Canna Law Blog about Congressman Earl Blumenauer’s impending retirement. As Blumenauer prepares to step down next month, his legacy as one of the most steadfast champions for cannabis reform in Congress remains unparalleled. Bipartisan Efforts Shaping Cannabis LegislationFrom his early days as a fresh-faced legislator in Oregon where he witnessed the state’s pioneering move to decriminalize cannabis in 1973 to his decades in Congress, Blumenauer’s journey…