Great news: the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States (CARERS) Act of 2017 was introduced in the U.S. Senate this afternoon! 

The bill is being introduced by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (New York), Cory Booker (New Jersey), Al Franken (Minnesota), and Rand Paul (Kentucky). This year, we have two new Republican senators who are joining the fight to protect access to our medicine - Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Senator Mike Lee (Utah).

The CARERS Act is vital legislation that will safeguard patients in states with medical cannabis programs, and expand research opportunities so that we learn even more about our medicine. For the past three years, we have been the driving force behind this legislation to help push it forward, working hard each and every day to make sure that it would be introduced and included additional co-sponsors this year. We worked closely with Senators and their staff to make sure that important protections were included in the bill’s language. 

The hundreds of patient advocates who visited their Members of Congress at this year’s National Unity Conference sent Congress a strong message: 

We need the CARERS Act!

And now, with the bill’s introduction this afternoon at a press conference coordinated by ASA staff, CARERS is becoming a reality. There is no way we could have done all of this without the support of members like you.

So how can you help pass CARERS?

Here's 3 Simple Things You Can Do Right Now

1. Take action!
   
   
   1. Send a message to your Senators today.
      
      
   2. Sign the petition and share it widely.
      
      
2. Donate to ASA. 
   
   
   1. Chip in today to help support our work to pass the CARERS Act of 2017.
      
      
3. Share our messages on social media.
   
   
   1. Share our Facebook post.
      
      
   2. Re-tweet our tweets.

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