Advertisement Lawmakers plan new push for medical marijuana oil Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Nebraskans may not be allowed to smoke marijuana, but some might be allowed to ingest it if a group of Nebraska lawmakers get their way.They want to legalize oil from the plant for patients with severe forms of epilepsy.KETV NewsWatch 7 has shared stories about families picking up and leaving Nebraska to help their children cope with severe seizures. They think cannabidiol oil sold legally in Colorado is the answer.Some Nebraska lawmakers agree and want to craft a bill legalizing the drug here so other families don't have to leave."I am a seizure victim myself. It's been 20 years since I had my last one. Always had an interest in epilepsy and trying to deal with solutions to it," said state Sen. Al Davis.Davis just returned from Colorado on a medical marijuana research trip with his colleagues Sens. Sue Crawford and Tommy Garrett. The Gillen family joined them."It has come full circle. I feel like the more that we've been educating legislators and the public of the better accepted it is," said Shelley Gillen, mother for legal medical marijuana.They want the marijuana extract cannabidiol oil legalized in Nebraska for their son Will. He suffers from severe epilepsy. Now more than ever, the Gillens think lawmakers will legalize it."I really think they will be able to present a positive argument for why this is a good thing," said Dominic Gillen, father for legal medical marijuana"I think it will be a easier to sell them then it was a year ago," said Davis.In Colorado, Davis said he saw how cannabidiol oil dramatically reduced seizures in children with epilepsy."I think we will prevail this next year. I just can't imagine anybody who meets these parents and sees what they are going through and what these children are going through as far as the disease concerns would ever say no to this," said Davis."When people realize this is not about getting high, I understand that it is the oil in the process can be done in a safe way it's very hard to find people that are against it," said Dominic Gillen."We are realistic about it. We know that maybe it might not help him. It's definitely worth a try and he deserves to have that chance at a better quality of life," said Shelley Gillen.Davis said crafting the bill will be difficult.Buying, selling and crossing state lines with cannabidiol oil is a federal offense.However, last session Nebraska lawmakers passed a bill that allows growing industrial hemp for research.