Congressmen Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Don Young (R-AK) Introduce House Version of Groundbreaking Bipartisan Medical Marijuana Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC—Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK) have introduced the House companion to a groundbreaking bill legalizing marijuana for medical use that was introduced in the Senate two weeks ago by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Senators Dean Heller (R-NV) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) co-sponsored the bill soon after.

“Reforming our nation’s failed drug policies is one of the few issues Democrats and Republicans can agree on,” said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance.   “The tide is quickly turning against marijuana prohibition and the war on drugs in general. ”

The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States – CARERS – Act is the most comprehensive medical marijuana bill ever introduced in Congress. The CARERS Act will do the following:

• Allow states to legalize marijuana for medical use without federal interference
• Permit interstate commerce in cannabidiol (CBD) oils
• Reschedule marijuana to schedule II
• Allow banks to provide checking accounts and other financial services to marijuana dispensaries
• Allow Veterans Administration physicians to recommend medical marijuana to veterans
• Eliminate barriers to medical marijuana research.

Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have laws that legalize and regulate marijuana for medicinal purposes. Twelve states have laws on the books or are about to be signed into law by their governors regulating cannabidiol (CBD) oils, a non-psychotropic component of medical marijuana which some parents are utilizing to treat their children’s seizures. Four states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for non-medical use.

Last year, the Republican-controlled House passed an amendment to a spending bill prohibiting the Department of Justice from undermining state medical marijuana laws. This amendment was backed by Sens. Rand Paul and Cory Booker and made it into the final “cromnibus” bill that was signed by President Obama in December. Unfortunately the amendment expires at the end of this fiscal year, making legislation like the CARERS Act essential.

The House also passed three other amendments last year letting states set their own marijuana policies, but those amendments never made it into law. Polls show roughly three-quarters of Americans support legalizing marijuana for medical use. A little more than half of voters support legalizing marijuana for non-medical use, in the same way alcohol is legal, taxed, and regulated.