[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 1 (Thursday, January 3, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E7]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE COMPASSIONATE ACCESS, RESEARCH EXPANSION AND 
                      RESPECT STATES (CARERS) ACT

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 3, 2019

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Compassionate 
Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act, also known as the 
CARERS Act. This bipartisan bill would allow states to set their own 
policies on medical marijuana, allow states to import cannabidiol to 
treat patients with seizures, give the Veterans Administration 
physicians the ability to recommend medical marijuana to patients and 
improve opportunities for research on marijuana.
  The consensus on medical marijuana is already overwhelming and 
continues to build. According to a Quinnipiac University poll, 93 
percent of Americans believe people should be allowed to use medically 
prescribed marijuana.
  93 percent of Americans rarely agree on anything.
  In November, Missouri and Utah joined a growing majority of states 
that have legalized medical marijuana. Thirty-two states plus the 
District of Columbia have approved medical marijuana.
  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 93 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.
  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.
  I want to thank my colleague Don Young of Alaska, for his partnership 
on this bill as well as Senator Cory Booker and the bipartisan 
coalition he is leading in the Senate on these issues. I urge both the 
House and Senate to pass this swiftly.

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