Mississippi lawmakers finally agree on medical cannabis bill

After more than a year of disagreements, Mississippi lawmakers may have finally produced a medical cannabis bill that will become law. Members of the Mississippi House and Senate announced last Tuesday that they had reached a final agreement on a bill that would establish a medical cannabis program in the state.

The main sticking point centered on how often and how much cannabis a patient can purchase. Under the bill, patients would be allowed «to purchase 3.5 grams of cannabis up to six times a week, or about 3 ounces per month, amounting to of the 5 ounces per month that were adopted by the state's voters in the November 2020 election.

The bill also imposes a 7 % sales tax and a 5 % excise tax on cannabis.

The bill must now be submitted to Governor Tate Reeves, long opposed to the principle of medical cannabis. He will have the option to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.

If the bill becomes law, Mississippi would become the 37th U.S. State to Legalize the Medical Use of Cannabis.

Obstacle Course

A majority of voters (70%) in Mississippi approved the 2020 referendum initiative to legalize medical cannabis in Mississippi, but that victory was quickly followed by a long series of setbacks for patients.

The The Mississippi Supreme Court struck down the initiative last year, citing a procedural flaw that made it unconstitutional under the state constitution. The court’s decision prompted lawmakers to begin drafting a bill to replace the adopted proposal.

The bill was easily passed by the State House last week, one week after the State Senate passed its own version, allowing lawmakers in both chambers to negotiate a compromise.

Governor Tate Reeves opposed the ballot initiative, but he stated last year that he supports «the will of the voters» and had encouraged lawmakers to draft a bill to replace the one struck down by the Supreme Court.