A Nevada pot legalization bill will be introduced in Carson City on Friday.

Assemblyman Joe Hogan, D-Las Vegas, will introduce the measure for the legalization of marijuana possession and makes Nevada the sixth state to consider decriminalizing pot.

"We've wasted a tremendous amount of money spoiling teen-agers lives, chasing them around until we can arrest them for something," Hogan said. "And marijuana is not just a harmless plant. The medical benefits are remarkable."

Hogan, a retired naval officer and Department of Defense employee said he has never smoked marijuana.

"Maybe 45 years ago someone gifted me a few puffs, but I have not been a user at all," Hogan said.

Nevada already allows for medical marijuana use. However those patients with a medical marijuana card have no legal way to obtain it. And questions remain whether it's wise to make something legal at the state level that could still land you in federal prison.

Criminal defense attorney Vicki Greco says, "From seeing the type of crimes that come across my desk, marijuana generally isn't the basis of any of these crimes. I feel that I've seen alcohol destroy more families and homes than I have marijuana.

"Even it's decriminalized at the legislature you're probably looking at four or five years for the other laws to catch up. If they decriminalize it and say we can buy it at 7-11 like a pack of cigarettes or a beer, what's the age?"

Also possession of the drug would still violate federal law.

Last year Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize marijuana. Lawmakers in Oregon, Hawaii and New Mexico are considering pot legalization measures.

Hogan said Assemblyman Andrew Martin and Paul Aizley are cosponsoring the measure.

"I'm really hopeful" the measure will pass, he said. "It would benefit a lot of people."