Alabama legalizes CBD oil for treatment of epilepsy, effective June 1

MONTGOMERY, Ala. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley signed legislation into law to allow medical marijuana oil in the state.

The law, which will decriminalize possession of cannabidiol produced in other states, will go into effect June 1.

The legislation, nicknamed Lenis Law, follows a similar bill in 2014 that established a CBD oil medical study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

As a physician, I believe it is extremely important to give patients with a chronic or debilitating disease the option to consider every possible option for treatment, Bentley said in a statement. With Lenis Law, citizens in Alabama will have access to cannabidiol that may help with treatment. Through a study at UAB, we have seen the benefit of cannabidiol to help with chronic seizures. I hope we will be able to collect information that will determine the efficacy of this substance in other chronic debilitating diseases.

Though derived from cannabis, cannabidiol contains reduced amounts of THC, the psychoactive property in marijuana that causes a high. Proponents say it can help alleviate severe seizures, among other conditions. The new law allows for up to 3 percent THC.

Republican Rep. Mike Ball, who headed the 2014 bill, began pushing for CBD oils after meeting several Alabama families dealing with serious epilepsy and other medical conditions.

UAB is currently studying the efficacy of a pharmacy-grade CBD oil, but federal regulations led to restrictive qualifications for the study. Many potential candidates were denied access, leaving their families struggling for relief.

The family of Leni Young, the legislations namesake, left the state for Oregon after she was denied access.

Leni, 4, suffered a stroke in-utero and was diagnosed soon after birth with an epilepsy condition and a rare form of cerebral palsy. Multiple medications helped rein in hundreds of daily seizures, but rotted the toddlers teeth and made her lethargic.

Lenis family noticed immediate improvements once she began taking the oils, and the family continued to advocate for CBD oil decriminalization alongside a community of Alabama families.

Shes progressed further than we were ...