Virginia bill about marijuana oil raising hopes for epilepsy patients

Virginia is getting closer to allowing marijuana to grow within the state to produce medical marijuana oil. Such progress is bringing hope to adults and children dealing with epilepsy across Virginia.

The Virginia State Senate voted on Tuesday to allow facilities within the state to produce marijuana oil for registered epilepsy patients. This would allow them to get the oils without breaking federal and state laws.

One Valley family believes it is already seeing the ground-breaking benefits of the oil. Lucy Rhoden has been taking the oil since last month as part of an FDA-approved drug trial. She has gone 21 days without experiencing the worst category of seizures, known as a

seizure. "I mean, I can't tell you 100 percent what my daughter is taking but, I can tell you the results," said Lucy's mother, Melissa Rhoden. "I'm happier and she's happier, but I don't want to destroy anyone's life with a drug," Melissa said. "If you take it away, wouldn't you be destroying mine and my daughter's?"

Just recently, Melissa took Lucy for a walk in the woods. In what may seem normal for other families, this walk held big significance. Melissa explained, "I don't do that because how exactly do you call an ambulance and tell them where you are?"

Melissa said, "There's so much freedom; I mean she'll always have seizures --she could have had one right there-- but she didn't."

Because Lucy is part of an experimental a drug trial, there is a chance the drug she is taking is a placebo.

The General Assembly will need to approve this bill again next year for it to become law.