Her daughter relied on CBD oil to treat seizures. She's now concerned over Florida's ban

Advocate Paige Figi lost her daughter Charlotte in 2020, during the COVID pandemic, when she was just 13 years old.

But as a child, Charlotte suffered from horrible seizures.

"I didn’t even know her for the first four years," Figi said. "I did not know what her favorite color was, I did not know what her interests were."

Then Figi started giving Charlotte CBD oil, bringing her out of the darkness and creating a real quality of life.

"She started talking," Figi recalled. "We removed her surgical ports and tubes, and she just lived a normal life."

Lawmakers in Tallahassee heard those heartfelt stories, as well as from hemp industry leaders claiming the new law will cripple their businesses.

Regardless, Senate Bill 1698, called the Food and Hemp Products bill, passed this week, banning or restricting the sale of products like CBD and Delta-9, which are in the marijuana family, but minus the main component that creates a high or a buzz.

Many use the products for pain relief, as a sleep aide, or as in Charlotte's case, to stop her seizures.

The Republican sponsor of the bill insists it’s about public safety, including kids.

"The purpose of this bill is really focused on reducing the milligram levels for the safety of Floridians," state Rep. Tommy Gregory said. "It is focused on the packaging, to make sure it’s not attractive to children."

Medical marijuana laws are not being affected by this matter, neither is the effort to put adult-use marijuana on November's ballot.