Advertisement Mississippi lawmakers consider form of medical marijuana Girl's parents believe cannabis oil extract could save daughter's life Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A bill moving through the Mississippi Legislature would provide a form of medical marijuana.The bill was named for Harper Grace Durval, a 22-month-old girl whose parents believe a type of cannabis oil could save her life.Click here to watch the reportHarper's life is in danger because she has a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome, which causes her to have seizures as often as five times a week. She's been flown to the hospital multiple times to save her life."She is on all different forms of narcotics," said mother Ashley Durval. "She has been on a lot of different medications."Harper's mother said a form of marijuana oil extract could save her life. The parents of other children with Dravet syndrome have reported dramatic improvements when using that form of medicine. But in Mississippi, it's illegal."Once you explain to people this is not something you can get high from -- if someone were to steal it for nefarious reasons -- you can't get high from it," said Sen. Josh Harkins R-Brandon.Harkins has authored a measure that would make cannabis extract legal, and now he's leading the fight for Harper.Medical researchers claim it is actually quite easy to remove the medicinal properties of marijuana from the parts that get a person high. But at the State Capitol, any talk of medical marijuana causes concern.Medical research marijuana is produced at labs at Ole Miss. Even though it's grown for medical research in the state, Gov. Phil Bryant said he's worried about what the proposed measure might mean for medical marijuana in Mississippi."I am going to look very carefully at that bill, but it's not something that I would promote," Bryant said.Ashley Durval said she's not interested in the medical marijuana debate. She just wants access to a medication that she believes could save Harper's life.Harper Grace's Bill has passed the Senate and now moves over to the House. Medical marijuana is already allowed in 18 states, plus the District of Columbia.