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Medication included rages, cognitive functioning issues -- excuse me. this was not the happy-go-lucky child i once knew. >> reporter: before beth collins can finish testifying, it happens, right there in the hearing room, haley has a seizure. lisa struggles to stabilize her daughter and tries to regain her composure. she still wants to speak to the lawmakers. >> this is lisa smith. >> reporter: she collects her thoughts and she steps to the microphone. >> this is -- this is normal for me. this is daily for me. it's been stated we don't know the long-term effects of medical marijuana. but i can...

People with epilepsy. >> when you look at this what do you see? >> i see beauty and wonderment and opportunity. >> do you think the rest of america are seeing the same thing? >> i think people are seeing how it pans out. >> one person is dr. amy brooks cayelle, a neurologist in denver. when we spoke, she said there isn't enough science to prove they work or how they affect patients. >> based on the science there is hope -- we don't know the side effects. we don't want to make their seizures better and make their lives worst. >> some of the improvement may be a placebo effect.

To plan out too long. this is our home and jennifer grew up here, you know? he and my family's here and my other daughter goes to school here. >> reporter: the driving force of the collin was the decision to split their family up were the side effects of the medicines jennifer was on, side effects which they say were getting more and more horrific. did you feel like you were losing your daughter? >> absolutely. losing our whole family. just watching her cognitively decline and watching these rages that, you know, were devastating for her mentally. >> we had times when we had to call 911 to com...

The brothers gave beth something else, thc-a. beth says that one did. what is it like for you to be free of some of those side effects? >> it's awesome. i -- i don't feel like a monster anymore. >> a monster? >> 'cause when i had the rages, i felt like a monster afterwards because i would just physically attack my parents and i didn't have any control over it. >> what would you tell people who think, we just think this whole idea of medical marijuana or that cannabis has any medicinal value, they just think that it's a bunch of baloney? >> i tell them i have seen it work. it worked with me. i ...

The families are not asking to legalize marijuana in the state, but they are asking for permission to use cannabis-based oils that have shown promise in treating epilepsy. republican speaker of the house, james howell, listened to thw m parents in a meeting but was far from optimistic. >> please don't hold out any great hopes. it is a tough thing. i don't want to set up any false aspirations. >> no. no. >> reporter: a new law would have to pass both chambers of the virginia legislature. this is the first step, a committee hearing. the proceedings begin with state senator dave marsden explainin...