Va. governor signs law allowing marijuana oil for epilepsy treatment

(Reuters) - A Virginia bill that would decriminalize a liquid, non-intoxicating form or marijuana to treat severe epilepsy was signed into law by Governor Terry McAuliffe on Thursday. Virginia becomes the 12th state in the past year to approve use of the marijuana oil, known as cannabidiol, as a treatment for severe epilepsy, according to the Washington-based pro-marijuana group NORML. McAuliffe, a Democrat, announced the signing on his Twitter account. Allen St. Pierre, NORML's executive director, called the signing "farcical" since Virginia, like other states that have approved use of the oil, has no legal cultivation of marijuana and thus no way to produce it. Federal law also bars transport of the oil across state lines, he said. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Bill Trott)