INDIANAPOLIS — People with epilepsy could be treated with a marijuana-derived oil under a bill approved by the Indiana House of Representatives.
The bill passed the chamber Tuesday on a 98-0 vote. The state Senate previously approved a similar measure.
State Rep. Lloyd Arnold, R-Leavenworth, is a co-author of House Bill 1148, which which would allow Hoosiers to use cannibidiol oil to treat epilepsy. Cannabidiol oil is commonly referred to as CBD.
Arnold represents House District 74, which includes portions of Spencer, Dubois, Perry, Crawford and Orange counties. He says he knows of several of his constituents whose children have epilepsy.
“They are having seizures and they need something that is going to work,” Arnold said. “This is working for them but they also have that fear of being prosecuted (for) having that substance on them. What this bill does is allow these parents to have the CBD oil and be free from prosecution.”
Indiana’s legislature has long resisted efforts to allow the use of medicine derived from marijuana, but that appears to have changed this year. Supporters say the bill’s approval marks a significant shift after years of medical marijuana-related bills stalling but the measure is a far cry from legalizing a comprehensive medical marijuana program.
The oil cannot get patients high, but it contains compounds that have been found to lessen the effects of some forms of epilepsy.
Arnold explained that House Bill 1148 would allow a person to possess CBD oil if they or their child have been diagnosed with severe epilepsy and if they meet certain commonsense safety requirements. He referred to CBD oil as a compound refined from cannabis that has a wide scope of medical applications, including the control of epilepsy and seizures.
“CBD oil can provide a life-changing treatment option for Hoosiers who suffer from epilepsy, especially children,” Arnold said. “This issue is one I have worked on for the past few years and it’s encouraging to see strong support for this bill, which would give parents and patients who are out of options the power to seek alternative solutions for epilepsy treatment.”
Arnold again stressed that CBD oil, while derived from cannabis, has very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, so it cannot be used as a recreational drug. Because of this restriction, he said, CBD oil should not be confused with medical marijuana.
CBD oil has shown documented effectiveness in helping manage the symptoms of otherwise persistent conditions of epilepsy, such as Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, according to Arnold.
The bill will now go to the Senate for further consideration.
Seventeen states currently allow the use of CBD products for medical reasons in limited situations, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Those states are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.