A Utah Senate Committee voted unanimously to recommend a bill that would 
legalize the use of hemp as medicine — specifically, hemp oil extract for the treatment of seizures. It’s a non-intoxicating cannabis oil from marijuana plants that is an excellent source of medicine for epilepsy.
The bill has seen several amendments and has a deadline of July 2016, which will allow plenty of time for review before being implemented.
This bill, HB105, is especially beneficial for people suffering from intractable epilepsy. The only medication currently available to them is not entirely effective — plus it has some harsh side effects. Statistics from the Epilepsy Association of Utah state that there are approximately 100,000 people in Utah with epilepsy, and one-third of them suffer from refractory seizures that are difficult to control.
There is no information about the long-term effects of the extract but those who suffer from this condition already have short lifespans and their current medications are substantially physically harmful.
Bill sponsor Rep. Gage Froerer, R-Huntsville, said most of these kids will only live to be 18 or 21 so if it’s possible to give them a higher quality of life the the state of Utah owes it to the parents to be given this option.
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