Is Virginia On Its Way To Legalizing Medical Marijuana?

On Tuesday, Virginia’s House of Delegates voted 98 to 0 to pass a bill that will allow people with severe forms of epilepsy to use cannabis infused oils to manage their seizures. The state’s conservative leadership has been historically resistant to legalizing medical use of the drug despite loosening rules in Washington DC and Maryland, so this week’s decision was a surprise for many.

Marijuana An Effective Treatment

Ongoing studies show evidence that cannabidiol oil (CBD) could be an effective way to manage seizures for sufferers of epilepsy; but in states where medical marijuana is prohibited, this treatment is impossible to get. However, Virginia is slated to allow the use of marijuana-extracted oils which include CBD but do not incorporate THC, the drug’s hallucinogenic property. 

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Policymakers Say VA A Long Way From Legalization

While some say that expanding research into the benefits of using marijuana for medical treatment will eventually push the majority of US states into legalizing it, Virginia’s policymakers say they are far from taking such a big step. The bill was specifically tailored to apply only to a certain treatment for a specific medical condition in order to appease the state’s conservative leadership. Delegate C. Todd Gilbert voted yes to the bill, but said its passage was not a sign of easing opinions regarding the drug and that the state is “not even close to legalizing medical marijuana.”

Still, the bill was welcome news to families whose children suffer from the disease and could set some precedence for other medical conditions that benefit from marijuana-related treatments.