

A bill that would legalize high-CBD strains of cannabis at the national level was submitted today, giving hope to thousands of sick patients around the country. If approved, the bill would remove CBD-oil and “therapeutic hemp” from the controlled substances act that currently bans all forms of marijuana — from hemp to buds.

Rep. Scott Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, says he was inspired to submit his bill, the “Charlotte’s Web Medical Hemp Act of 2014,” after meeting with the parents of a gravely sick child in his district.



“No one should face a choice of having their child suffer or moving to Colorado and splitting up their family,” Perry told CNN.com. “We live in America, and if there’s something that would make my child better, and they can’t get it because of the government, that’s not right.”



Interestingly, the bill is named for Charlotte’s Web, a proprietary strain of marijuana “discovered” by a Colorado dispensary group and subsequently marketed heavily to other states. The fact that Charlotte’s Web is in the title shows how slick the marketing has actually been, as many lawmakers assume that Charlotte’s Web is the only high-CBD strain out there. It isn’t, though it would seem that the owners of the strain are just fine with people thinking that.

The bill legalizes many low-THC, high-CBD strains however, not just Charlotte’s Web. Anything with less than .3 percent THC by weight. In fact, the strains of cannabis are so low in THC that they technically qualify as hemp.

As more and more children have begun taking the oil in states like Colorado, stories of children lessening or completely eliminating seizures have become more common. With that popularity, eleven states passed CBD-only medical cannabis bills this past year. Many still don’t allow the plant to be grown in their states, and force parents to go out-of-state to procure the medicine then illegally transport it back across state lines. Many say it’s a political cop out for leaders who want to appear to be compassionate without alienating voters by legalizing cannabis outright.