PELHAM, Alabama - Supporters of Carly's Law, the proposed Alabama law that would legalize a marijuana-derived medicine that could help control seizures and other health issues, are holding a rally in Pelham on March 1.

The rally to promote the legalization of the marijuana-derived cannabidiol, also known as CBD oil, will be from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena.

Speakers scheduled so far include state Rep. Mike Ball of Madison who sponsored the bill and Paige Figi, whose young daughter Charlotte Figi had suffered 300 seizures a week but dropped to a couple or so a month after using the marijuana-derived treatment.

"It's going to be a public awareness and educational rally to let everyone know what Carly's Law is about and who it can help," said the Birmingham area's Dustin Chandler, whose daughter is the bill's inspiration.

The 2-year-old girl suffers from uncontrollable seizures caused by a genetic disorder called CDKL5, also known as cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5. Carly's parents, Dustin and Amy Chandler, hope that CDB oil could help treat their daughter's violent seizures that happen multiple times each day.

"We're going to have hopefully hundreds of families there it might affect who can tell their story," Dustin Chandler said. "They're the face behind Carly's Law. There are real children and real people affected by the passage of this law."

The Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday gave approval to the bill by an 8-3 vote. The legislation's next step is consideration on the Senate floor.

"I think it shows good bipartisan support," Chandler said about the Senate committee's action. "I don't feel this is a red or blue issue. This is a human-right issue, a health issue."

Many Alabama families are calling on lawmakers to approve the bill so their children could potentially benefit from the marijuana-derived treatment that does not produce the drug's intoxicating effects. At least one family from Alabama has relocated to Colorado, which has legalized marijuana use for medicinal and recreational purposes, to help their daughter who suffers from violent seizures.

"We want to let people know what Carly's Law is about and who it's affecting," Chandler said. "We want to show the importance to the public and the politicians that there are faces behind this law that it will help and we are real people and we need help."

Chandler, who is a Pelham police officer, said he hopes people will understand the importance of the law in Alabama.

"The parents that want to help their children are not criminals. It's an issue of doing the right thing for the children of Alabama. That's essentially what it is," he said. "To me, a vote no to the Carly's Law is a vote no to the people of Alabama."