Senator introduces marijuana decriminalization legislation

Sen. Chuck Schumer plans to propose legislation decriminalizing marijuana, on Thursday.

"I'll be introducing legislation to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level from one end of the country to the other," the New York Democrat said. "The legislation is long overdue."

Schumer, the Senate minority leader, said that he had "seen too many people's lives ruined because they had small amounts of marijuana and served time in jail much too long."

The legislation will be introduced in the next week, and it will include taking marijuana off the Drug Enforcement Administration's controlled substance list.

He added that it was "the right thing to do."

Schumer also said the legislation will "maintain federal authority to regulate marijuana advertising in the same way it does alcohol and tobacco."