Bipartisan medical marijuana legislation was released on Capitol Hill this week.
On Monday, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK), introduced legislation that would legalize medical marijuana on a Federal level.
The CARERS Act ‘‘Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act of 2015’’ matches the Senate bill Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rand Paul (R-KY) that was introduced a few weeks ago.
The bill would open up the medical marijuana industry by 1. Rescheduling marijuana (removing its Schedule 1 classification). 2. Allowing banks to service medical marijuana operations, 3. Allow for marijuana research 4. Allow for interstate commerce in certain situations and other various changes.
Rep Steve Cohen referred to a recent poll which showed a majority of Americans want to allow access to medical marijuana. “86 percent of Americans rarely agree on anything… It is long overdue for our federal law to reflect the common sense views of 86 percent of Americans and stop adding to the suffering of those with horrible illnesses.”
There were over fifteen pieces of marijuana reform legislation introduced in the U.S. House during the last Congressional session. All of these will help pave the road to a federal medical marijuana policy but where not comprehensive. CARERS would be the golden ticket, which would create a new era for medical marijuana and help legitimize the industry as a whole.
It the bill moves forward it would have a good chance of passing. Last year, cannabis reformers won five bipartisan votes in the House. One of the biggest accomplishments was the amendment that prevents the Department of Justice from spending money to interfere with state medical marijuana laws. Only time will tell but things are looking greener for us medical marijuana advocates.