Last week, patients, caregivers and advocates banded together to kick off a signature drive for a petition addressed to Senator Chuck Grassley, asking him to give the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act a vote in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Brought by several U.S. Senators, including Rand Paul of Kentucky, the act is the most comprehensive piece of medical marijuana legislation introduced in Congressional history. The bill has been stalled in the Committee since its introduction in 2015, with Chairman Grassley refusing to bring it up for a vote. Iowans and people around the nation are urging the vote to give themselves or loved ones access to cannabis medication that could have a positive impact on their quality of life. Supporters have begun a door-to-door campaign to gather signatures for the petition. A group of Grassley’s constituents plan to hand deliver the petition later this summer as a reminder that today, an overwhelming majority of Iowans and the nation support legal medical cannabis. Links to an online version of the petition can be found below.
