A new Senate Bill called CARERS Act has been recently introduced, which aims to legalize medical marijuana for several purposes, including medicinal and research purposes. With the said act, states will reportedly be able to freely use medical marijuana without federal interference. The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act reportedly seeks to legalize the use of marijuana with low THC, and high levels of CBD. THC is said to be the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, while CBD or cannabidiol is the ingredient which has medical value. The Act was intoduced by Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
The Act will reportedly reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug, into Schedule II. Schedule I substances are deemed illegal with high potential for abuse and no medical value, while Schedule II substances are the ones deemed to be less dangerous and has acceptable medical value. Aside from that, the Act will also reportedly amend the Controlled Substance Act which will reportedly allow states to set their individual policies regarding medical marijuana.
President Barrack Obama also reportedly expressed his support during an interview saying, "You know, I think I'd have to take a look at the details, but I'm on record as saying that not only do I think carefully prescribed medical use of marijuana may in fact be appropriate and we should follow the science as opposed to ideology on this issue, but I'm also on record as saying that the more we treat some of these issues related to drug abuse from a public-health model and not just from an incarceration model, the better off we're going to be.".
Medical marijuana is said to have multiple benefits like alleviation of chronic pain, stopping the progression of Alzheimer's disease, treatment of glaucoma, reduction of neuropathic pain, and can reportedly be effective in treating schizophrenia.
23 states have already legalized marijuana for medical purposes.
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