x
Breaking News
More () »

Sen. Chuck Schumer supports "decriminalizing" marijuana

Sen. Charles Schumer, the Senate minority leader and New York's senior senator, said he is introducing legislation that would decriminalize marijuana across the nation.

ALBANY - Sen. Charles Schumer, the Senate minority leader and New York's senior senator, said he is introducing legislation that would decriminalize marijuana across the nation.

The move by Schumer is a change of stance for the New York Democrat, and he is the latest high-profile politician to support ending punishment for marijuana possession.

"If smoking marijuana doesn’t hurt anybody else, why shouldn’t we allow people to do it and not make it criminal?” Schumer told VICE News on Thursday.

On Friday, Schumer detailed his plans in a news release, saying his legislation would change federal law so marijuana is no longer included on the Drug Enforcement Agency's list of controlled substances.

That way it would be up to states to decide whether to legalize marijuana, and New York is actively debating its next steps on the measure.

"The legislation would allow the states to continue to function as laboratories of democracy and ultimately decide how they will treat marijuana possession," Schumer's statement read.

But Schumer said his measure would maintain federal law that allows authorities to prevent marijuana trafficking from states to where marijuana is legal to ones where it is not.

“The time has come to decriminalize marijuana,” Schumer said.

“My thinking – as well as the general population’s views – on the issue has evolved, and so I believe there’s no better time than the present to get this done."

Schumer made the announcement on 4/20, the unofficial holiday celebrating the use of marijuana.

Schumer joins some of his Democratic colleagues, as well as some Republicans, in moving toward legalizing marijuana.

Former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, earlier this month said he supports legalizing marijuana after he joined the board of a marijuana company.

In February, New York's junior Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand co-sponsored the Marijuana Justice Act, which was introduced by New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker to legalize marijuana.

Additionally, President Donald Trump has signaled that he would not stand in the wayof state's rights on marijuana after his administration initially indicated it would crackdown on the drug's use.

Last week, Sen. Cory Garder, a Republican from Colorado, said Trump told him he would respect states' rights.

Nine states -- Alaska, California, Colorado, Oregon, Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada, Vermont and Washington -- and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana.

With neighboring states legalizing it, New York is debating its next steps.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has commissioned a study on the issue as his Democratic primary foe Cynthia Nixon is actively pushing for marijuana to be legalized in the state.

New York started a medical marijuana program in 2016, but it is only available for certain conditions and in non-smokeable forms.

Schumer called his plan "long overdue," saying states that have legalized marijuana "have done lots of good and no harm."

"I've seen too many people's lives ruined because they had small amounts of marijuana," he continued on VICE. “The best thing to do is let each state decide on its own.”

He said his support isn't aimed at winning votes in the mid-term elections this fall, but, "If we benefit, so be it."

Schumer, 67, was asked whether he has ever smoked marijuana, and he said no.

Asked if he would try it, he responded: "Maybe I'm a little old, but who knows."

Before You Leave, Check This Out