BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- After meeting today with a father whose 2-year-old daughter suffers from a rare neurologicial and epileptic disorder, state Rep. Patricia Todd of Birmingham is sponsoring legislation that would allow use of a marijuana-derived substance to help control the child's frequent, violent seizures.

"Forget the smoking the joint and going to the drug dealer" stereotypes surrounding the issue of marijuana, Todd said. "We are talking about this derivative that's from the marijuana plant that's not going to make these kids high but can relieve the seizures that these kids have."

Named Carly's Law after Inverness parents Dustin and Amy Chandler's daughter who suffers from the rare genetic disorder known as CDKL5, the bill would allow the use of the substance called CBD, or cannabidiol, which comes from marijuana but does not produce the drug's intoxicating effects.

It would be doctor-prescribed for "children with CDKL5, specifically for those children, but we also know ... if it can help other children with seizure disorders, we hope it's available to them too," Todd said in an interview today. "Doctors will prescribe the parents to have access to that and they can have it mailed to their house without fear of prosecution, and it would be legal to use under a doctor's treatment for these children."

Although derived from marijuana and containing the plant's intoxicating substance known as THC, the CDB that typically comes in an oil form given to children orally or mixed in their food does not generate the high associated with marijuana use, according to proponents of the medical treatment.

"This is a child with a severe disability that has very violent seizures every day and research demonstrates ... that the use of this oil is extremely effective to eliminating or decreasing the seizures that the kids have," Todd said.

Todd recommended anybody watch a video showing Carly suffering from one of her seizures. "If any human being can watch that and not be moved to do anything you could do to help a child like that, then you're heartless," she said.

Dustin Chandler, a Pelham police officer, has been strongly promoting the legalization of the marijuana-derived substance to treat his daughter and other children who may be suffering from seizures that prescription medication cannot control.

Chandler recently started an online petition on Change.org that asks Gov. Robert Bentley, with whom he met on Oct. 28, and other state lawmakers to support use of the treatment. Earlier this evening the petition had 2,069 supporters.

"We're really drafting legislation to address the issue of if we can help as many kids as we can help now and get that passed, that's the common sense of getting it done," Chandler said. "If we can help people now and help children now with certain disorders, that's what we need to do."

Proponents say medication derived from CBD could treat numerous symptoms including inflammation, pain, anxiety and even diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. CNN in August reported on a case in Colorado that involved a girl suffering from more than 1,000 seizures a month who experiences just a few now after taking CBD oil twice-daily in her food.

"It's very encouraging that this is moving this fast," Chandler said after meeting with Todd today. "To get somebody on board that's showing compassion and wanting to help people is huge. We are trying to help as many people as we can and as many children as we can now, and not trying to wait on a lengthy process."

Todd praised Chandler for his work on promoting the issue to help his daughter and other children in the state. "He's a passionate, passionate father for his child. He's my new hero. He's willing to go to any lengths to not only help his child but other people," she said.

"A lot of these kids die from these seizures. This is a drug that we know works. Why not allow these parents access to something we know will help their child? That's all we're doing," Todd said. "We have an opportunity to help many, many children and he is stepping out there to do it. I am just glad I have the vehicle to help him accomplish what he's trying to do. It's going to be one of my top priorities in this session and we hope to get it passed."