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(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

Bills to decriminalize an oil derived from marijuana for medicinal purposes advanced today in the Alabama Legislature.

The House and Senate Judiciary committees approved different versions of bills to allow people to use cannabidiol, also called CBD oil, to treat certain ailments.

The bills would be an expansion of Carly's Law, which authorized a UAB study of CBD oil to treat severe epilepsy.

Under the new legislation, people who use CBD oil for certain aliments could not be prosecuted for marijuana possession.

CBD oil is legal in some states, but illegal to possess in Alabama.

Parents who believe their children could benefit from CBD oil say they want to have the option of trying it without breaking the law or moving to another state.

Some were at the State House today, just as many were to help push through Carly's Law two years ago.

"We're not completely out of options yet," said Brittany Townsend of Hueytown, whose daughter Kenna 6, suffers from seizures caused by a tuberous sclerosis. "But I don't want to be out of options and this not be available."

A point of debate on the legislation is the amount of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison, sponsor of the House bill, said no one would use CBD oil to get high because they would have to consume so much they would get sick first.

"What everybody is afraid of makes absolutely no sense," Ball said. "I am battling a bunch of vague fears."

Ball's bill initially would have allowed up to 3 percent THC content. Today, he offered a substitute bill that would allow only up to 1 percent THC content. The committee approved it without dissent.

"It's not what many families had hoped for, but for now it will certainly do to move it forward," Ball told the committee.

The CBD oil used in the UAB study under Carly's Law has THC content of less than 1 percent.

Townsend said Kenna took part in the UAB study but it did not help her seizures.

She said she would like the option of trying CBD oil with a higher THC content, up to 3 percent, to see if it could help Kenna, who she said can have 15 to 20 seizures in a day.

Ball's substitute bill would allow CBD oil only to treat epilepsy. His original bill would have allowed it for a wide range of ailments, including nausea, chronic pain and any severe condition resistant to conventional medicine.

Ball said there is anecdotal evidence CBD oil can help with a variety of ailments.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill by Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, which would allow THC content of up to 3 percent.

The bills have been named Leni's Law, after Leni Young, whose parents moved to Oregon so she could take CBD oil.

Leni's father, Wayne Young, appeared via Skype at a House Judiciary Committee meeting last month. Young said Leni's seizure disorder has improved dramatically.

At that same public hearing, Dr. Shannon Murphy, a pediatrician, spoke in opposition to Ball's bill.

Murphy said the bill could allow the use of cannabidiol that is not screened for quality or content like the pharmaceutical grade product used in the UAB study, called Epidiolex, which she said contains 0.2 percent THC.

Ball said CBD oils that could be used in Alabama under his bill are safe, and that the manufacturers are regulated and have quality controls.

Jody Mitchell of Decatur said she would like to try the 3 percent CBD oil for her son, Robert, 12, who has epilepsy and is autistic. Mitchell said Robert's cognition improved through the UAB study, but his seizure problems did not particularly improve.

Mitchell said CBD oil could allow her to reduce Robert's use of other medications.

"It's not a cure, but another tool in the box," she said.