[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 48 (Monday, March 23, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       INTRODUCTION OF CARERS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 23, 2015

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce CARERS Act, a 
bipartisan House companion to a bipartisan Senate bill that would allow 
states to set their own policies on medical marijuana, and give 
Veterans Administration physicians the ability to recommend medical 
marijuana to their patients.
  The consensus on medical marijuana is overwhelming. Last year, a CBS 
News Poll found 86 percent of Americans thought doctors should be 
allowed to prescribe small amounts of marijuana for patients suffering 
from serious illnesses.
  86 percent of Americans rarely agree on anything.
  Even CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who was once 
skeptical of medical marijuana, has publicly endorsed it.
  Yet, our federal laws continue to treat patients and the doctors and 
families who care for them like criminals.
  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.
  One such patient was my constituent, Chloe Grauer. At 3 years old, 
Chloe suffered from a rare neurological disease that caused her to have 
100 to 200 seizures a day. She tried dozens of medications and 
underwent surgical procedures but nothing stopped the seizures. Her 
family tried desperately to treat her with Cannabidiol--also known as 
``Charlotte's Web'' or ``CBD'' for short--which has been shown to treat 
certain diseases that cause seizures, such as the disease from which 
Chloe suffered. CBD is derived from cannabis plants, and even though it 
contains just trace amounts of the psychoactive ingredient in 
marijuana--nowhere near enough to produce a high--but it is currently 
illegal under federal law. Even this tiny amount of the ingredient, 
THC, was enough for the federal government to keep a potentially life-
saving drug away from Chloe.
  Late last year, Chloe died without receiving CBD.
  This should never have happened. We must ensure that this never 
happens again.
  Just as our children deserve to be treated compassionately, so, too, 
do our veterans. Federal law currently prohibits VA doctors from 
prescribing medical marijuana when they feel it is medically 
beneficial. Our veterans deserve the best medical advice from their 
doctors, not arbitrary limits on what their doctors can do to help 
them. Veterans are tough. They can handle frank advice from their 
doctors.
  Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of Senators introduced a bill 
that would make vitally necessary, common sense changes to federal law 
that would allow for greater access to medically necessary marijuana: 
the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act. 
The bill builds upon efforts here in the House of Representatives. I 
applaud all of these efforts, and am proud to help keep the momentum 
going by introducing a bipartisan House companion to this bill with my 
colleague Don Young of Alaska.
  I urge the House to pass this bill swiftly, bring a dose of sanity to 
our federal drug policy, and extend some much needed compassion to 
those suffering from horrible illnesses.

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