Murkowski Joins Legislation Protecting Medical Marijuana From Federal Interference
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Al Franken (D-MN) to introduce bipartisan legislation requiring that the federal government respect state marijuana laws. The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act allows Americans to gain access to the care they need by protecting patients from federal intervention in states with existing medical marijuana laws.
“There remains a conflict between state marijuana laws and federal marijuana laws across the board and this legislation aims to rectify that. This is especially urgent in the medical marijuana arena given the Justice Department’s active effort to derail annual appropriations provisions prohibiting federal interference with medical uses of marijuana authorized under state law,” said Senator Murkowski. “I strongly believe that the federal government has no place in undermining the effective administration of state marijuana laws.”
The CARERS Act also opens the door for families to access cannabidiol (CBP), also known as cannabis oil, as a therapy for epilepsy and seizures in youth, makes it possible for VA physicians to counsel veterans about medical marijuana, and facilitates research into broader uses of marijuana as a therapy.
Congressman Don Young (R-AK) is a co-sponsor of this legislation in the House of Representatives.
