In a outstanding about face from Congressman Charles B. Rangel days as the Chairman of the House Select Committee on Narcotics; Rangel endorsed the decriminalization of marijuana in a Congressional hearing.  Rangel was responding to a question from Congressman Steve Cohen on the subject of marijuana. Rangel's response was

"There's no question that with the limited resources we have and the heavy strain that we put on law enforcement that we ought to decriminalize it.”

Rangel added a rational and thoughtful suggestion that we should discourage but not criminalize. 

“I would suggest that we should do things to discourage people from using cigarettes as well as marijuana.”

You can watch that portion of the hearing on this Youtube video titled "Rangel: "I don't remember the last time anyone was arrested in the city of New York for marijuana.""

Rangel also said that no one is getting arrested for smoking marijuana in New York.  It is encouraging that this former drug warrior now supports the decriminalization of marijuana, but he like a lot of other members need to get their facts straight about how many arrest are actually taking place.  A report by Harry Levine and Deborah Small to the New York Civil Liberties Union paints a totally different story on marijuana arrest in New York City.  See the full report Marijuana Arrest Crusade Racial Bias and Police Policy in New York City.