Dustin Chandler (left) stands with his daughter, Carly, his wife, Amy, and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley in October. Bentley has lent his support to Carly's Law, which passed the Legislature last week and will legalize the marijuana extract cannabidiol to treat children's seizures.

Any day now, Alabama -- which was ranked the most conservative state in the country by Gallup last year -- will become the first state in the South to legalize a type of medicine derived from marijuana.

When "Carly's Law," or Senate Bill 174, arrived in the state House of Representatives at 2 a.m. on March 21, politicians on both sides of the aisle reportedly stood up and began chanting for the bill to pass. The measure, which received unanimous support in both chambers, will fund a $1 million study at the University of Alabama on the effectiveness of cannabidiol in treating seizure disorders.

But the "Heart of Dixie" isn't the only Southern state opening up to the possibility that cannabis may have medicinal value. Here are some others fighting to pull back the veil on medical weed:

Kentucky



Gov. Steve Beshear has lent his support to a bill to legalize cannabidiol in Kentucky.

Tennessee



Jeanne Kuhn, the namesake of Tennessee's medical marijuana bill, found relief with cannabis during chemotherapy treatments.

"Even in hardcore Republican areas, they want to be able to have medical marijuana," the bill's author, state Rep. Sherry Jones, told The Huffington Post in January.

The bill didn't pass this year, but advocates say it made significant progress and stands a good chance for next session. "This year, it had much more discussion in the General Assembly than in years past," said Paul Kuhn, whose late wife, Jeanne, is the bill's namesake. "The Republican leadership essentially told us, 'Hemp this year, medical marijuana next year.'"

A separate bill that would establish clinical trials for CBD oil is making its way through the Tennessee House right now.

South Carolina



State Sen. Tom Davis introduced a bill that would allow the use of cannabidiol for seizure treatment.

Georgia



Georgia Rep. Allen Peake with Haleigh Cox, 4, at a local hospital in January.

Florida



Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz introduced a bill to legalize parts of the cannabis plant that may help children with seizures.

However, Florida parents with sick children aren't content waiting around for the ballot initiative to take effect. They have lobbied their legislators to introduce bills to legalize medical marijuana even sooner, according to Ben Pollara, the campaign manager at United For Care, an organization lobbying for legal cannabis in Florida. One of these bills -- a measure to legalize cannabidiol -- was the first piece medical weed legislation to ever be advanced by Florida's Legislature.

State lawmakers have also introduced a broader medical marijuana bill, as well as a bill to legalize weed for recreational purposes.

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While these states' change of heart is evidence of progress, advocates say many are not going far enough -- particularly those states that are only thinking of legalizing cannabidiol.

"It is good to see more legislators are recognizing that marijuana has medical benefits, but unfortunately many of these bills will not do anything to help people," said Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, a national organization that advocates for ending marijuana prohibition.