U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions took a hard-line stance against medical marijuana on Wednesday, telling reporters that use of the drug for medicinal purposes "has been hyped, maybe too much."

Jeff Sessions, to reporters in Richmond just now: "I think medical marijuana has been hyped, maybe too much." — Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) March 15, 2017

Lawmakers in Sessions' home state have recently allowed the use of some marijuana-derived products, which remain federally prohibited, for medical treatment of individuals with debilitating conditions.

Amy Young, whose daughter, Leni, was the inspiration for the law passed last year decriminalizing cannabidiol in Alabama, took to Twitter to criticize Sessions' comments. Leni suffered a massive stroke when she was 34 days old; one of the complications of the stroke was seizures, which Young said responds well to cannabidiol treatment.

Leni is alive today because of mmj treatment, sorry Jeff, that's not hype just fact. #lenislaw https://t.co/8Cgqijk7yM — Amy Young (@acyoung321) March 15, 2017

Young expanded on her thoughts on the Leni's Law Facebook page, saying Sessions should "consider his legacy" when speaking about medical marijuana.

"Sessions goes on to talk about maybe his view being 'unfashionable'... What's unfashionable is putting ignorance in front of people's quality of life and their lives itself," she wrote. "It would behoove Jeff Sessions to consider his legacy and how he'd like to be perceived historically. Leni being alive and thriving today isn't 'hype,' it's fact, and it's absolutely due to her use of cannabis therapy."

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions took a hard-line stance against medical marijuana on Wednesday, telling reporters... Posted by Leni's Law on Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Sessions, who has worried pro-pot advocates and states where marijuana is legal for medicinal and recreational use, made the comments after addressing law enforcement officials in Richmond, Virginia.

In a speech to the officials, which focused on ways to combat violent crime, Sessions said one of the steps to improve public safety is to ensure citizens don't start taking drugs in the first place.

"I realize this may be an unfashionable belief in a time of growing tolerance of drug use. But too many lives are at stake to worry about being fashionable. I reject the idea that America will be a better place if marijuana is sold in every corner store," the attorney general said. "And I am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana - so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another that's only slightly less awful. Our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs will destroy your life."