Eleanor Holmes Norton: “Well, Ms. Titus, I must say I thank you for coming to the floor, but I particularly thank you and congratulate you for…”

“Well, Ms. Titus, I must say I thank you for coming to the floor, but I particularly thank you and congratulate you for the extensive homework you have done educating yourself before you took a position on this issue. It is something to be emulated. I do want to say, when you spoke of the need for further investigation, and particularly when you considered how many veterans with PTSD and other ailments may benefit from medical marijuana, it is worth noting that marijuana is so sharply regulated and restricted that we have not even been able to do the studies necessary to find out what is wrong with it or what is right with it. For example, medical marijuana cries out for studies. If, in fact, the anecdotal evidence is to be believed, that in itself should lead to Federal studies by the NIH and federally funded studies. What are we afraid of? We need to know more about this substance. And on the negative side, we know that it has some harmful effects on the brain for children. We need to know more about it for adults. Why would the Federal Government not be out front, considering how widely used this substance is? If the government had done the kind of homework you had, Ms. Titus, I think we would be much further ahead. Thank you very much for coming to the floor with all of that useful information from your own study. {time} 1430 I particularly appreciate your supporting the District's home rule and the right to pass its own local laws without Federal interference.…”