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Medical marijuana bill dead for season in TennesseeTennessee's medical marijuana bill is a good prescription Cannabis oil can be option for many Tennessee should move ahead on medical marijuana
On April 13, pending the signature of Gov. Bill Haslam, Tennessee lawmakers made a symbolic but important change to state law regarding medical marijuana.
The compassion was unanimous, with the Senate voting 26-0 to pass the bill, and the House voting 95-0.
According to Tennessee's bill, "The cannabis oil must have been obtained legally in the United States and outside of this state, [and] the person must retain proof of the legal order or recommendation from the issuing state."
This wording highlights the problem. How can the oil be "obtained legally in the United States" when federal law makes this impossible?
On that same day, referring to the legalization of cannabis oil, the Times Free Press printed a story titled "Georgia families are willing to break federal law to get recently legalized drug."
But why should those families have to take that risk?
The fact is, patients in Georgia and Tennessee will be breaking federal law if they possess any cannabis oil, and will be subject to federal prosecution.
It doesn't matter that the oil won't cause a person to "get high."
The federal government can punish patients who use the oil because cannabis is a "Schedule 1" drug according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The DEA has obstinately refused to reschedule cannabis into the less restrictive Schedule 2 category.
That's why new federal legislation is needed.
Although Schedule 2 drugs have a high potential for abuse, they have an accepted medical application and are much easier to obtain for purposes of important academic research.
More U.S. senators and representatives are becoming co-sponsors of the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act, Senate bill S683 and House bill HR1538.
The CARERS Act would allow patients, doctors and businesses in states that have already passed medical marijuana laws to participate in those programs without fear of federal prosecution.
The Act is very brief and does five things:
* It removes "cannibidiol" from the federal definition of marijuana.
* It reschedules marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2.
* It allows banking institutions to process transactions with legitimate state-regulated, cannabis-based businesses.
* It increases availability of marijuana for FDA approved research projects, and allows VA Medical Center doctors to advise and assist patients regarding use of medical marijuana in states where it is legal.
Recent polls show about 75 percent of Americans support a patient's right to use cannabis without fear of criminal prosecution if their doctor believes it may help.
So far, 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. Another dozen states have passed or are in the process of passing legislation regulating the use of cannabidiol oils.
The bipartisan effort to reform federal laws affecting this issue is gaining momentum.
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., noted: "This important bill brings the federal government in line with the science and the American people."
And Rep. Don Young, R-Ak., commented, "The CARERS Act aims to protect states that have legalized medical marijuana and allows them to properly enforce their own laws."
These bills have now moved to the committee level in the U.S. Senate and House. Additional support is needed to help them emerge for a full vote.
If this issue matters to you, please encourage your elected federal officials in the Senate and House to sign on as additional co-sponsors.
Dr. Hine has a master's degree in public health, is a board certified fellow from the American College of Preventive Medicine and has followed this issue for many years.