The New York Times has called for a federal marijuana ban to go up in smoke, comparing the ban on the most widely used illicit drug to the "prohibition" on alcohol between 1920 and 1933. Nathan Frandino reports.

The newspaper this weekend published the first piece in a six-part editorial series in support of repealing the ban.

The opening editorial compared the ban on marijuana to the alcohol prohibition of the 20s and 30s, which saw the rise of criminals and crime syndicates.

In the coming days, the paper plans to lay out its argument, covering topics such as the health effects and treatment by the criminal justice system.

The first piece argues that states should decide whether to legalize pot, not the federal government.

Washington and Colorado already allow the recreational use of marijuana and many more states permit pot for medical purposes.

The series comes as polls show an increasing number of Americans who support legalizing the drug.