Alabama Signs Bill Expanding CBD

Governor Robert Bentley signed Leni’s Law on Wednesday, which is an initiative allowing more people to get their hands on medical marijuana. This will surely be helpful to those suffering from certain conditions. The law was passed with little rejection in the Legislature and will finally be put into place on June first. The governor announced that older studies of cannabidiol (CBD) at the University of Alabama Birmingham showed that the drug had an amazing effect on seizures; after this, he was convinced.

“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,” he said. “With Leni’s Law, citizens in Alabama will have access to cannabidiol that may help with treatment.”

CBD does not have much THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. In 2014, Governor Robert Bentley signed Carly’s law, which allowed the study on CBD to take place at the University of Alabama Birmingham. The bill also allowed families to take part in the study. According to the results, CBD helped cut seizures by around fifty percent.

Not all of the families who wanted to take part in the study were able to, unfortunately. However, they did still support Carly’s law. Amy and Wayne Young moved all the way to Oregon just to get CBD for their daughter who was experiencing hundreds of seizures daily. The family says that thanks to CBD, their daughter Leni is having significantly fewer seizures.

“We are incredibly grateful to the state of Alabama for giving families like our the opportunity to find relief from life-altering and debilitating conditions, and hope for a better quality of life,” the mother said.

The families who would use the medical marijuana were recognized at the House gallery on Wednesday morning and received standing ovations.