Senators seek to legalize medical marijuana at the federal level

Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) plan to introduce a bill on Tuesday that would legalize medical marijuana at the federal level.

The legislation would nix Washington's ban on medical pot while reclassifying the drug from a Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 substance under federal guidelines, according to The Washington Post. As a Schedule 1 drug, marijuana ranks alongside LSD and peyote as substances with "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." Downgrading its classification would put marijuana in line with cocaine and methamphetamine.

Called the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act, the bill 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 lawmakers said in a joint statement.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up