Medical Cannabis Act heads to MS Governor’s desk

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Brought back to the State Senate with amendments from the House, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act was voted on once again.

The main changes made to the bill were lowering the amount of cannabis a patient can receive per month from 3.5oz. to 3oz.

The proposed program would no longer involve the Department of Agriculture in surveying cannabis production. The Department of Health will now be over that operation.

The program would also allow “home rule” for municipalities to make the decision on whether or not to allow commercial growing within commercially zoned areas in cities/counties.

The vote was overwhelmingly supportive.

“By a vote of 46 yays, 4 nays and 1 present, the bill passes,” Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann announced Wednesday morning.

“It’s finally a surreal moment for us,” said Zack Wilson, Vice President of We are the 74. “You know, all the hard work and long hours, the phone calls, the emails, it’s all come to a head today, and it looks like we’re finally getting our program.”

We spoke with Wilson, whose group stands for the 74% of Mississippians who voted for Initiative 65 in the 2020 election, just minutes after the house vote Wednesday afternoon.

“By a vote of 103 yays and 13 nays, the report is adopted,” Speaker Philip Gunn announced Wednesday afternoon.

It isn’t everything everyone wanted, but Wilson is confident over the years it will provide a service to Mississippi’s chronically ill.

“The bill as it is now is very workable,” Wilson said. “It will get a program going and allow us to work with it and grow from within.”

The final step is acquiring the signature of Governor Tate Reeves, who has had some reservations about the program, but Wilson says the votes are in the state legislature to overturn a veto.

“The legislature has done the work. The people have been involved in the work, and we’ve got a program that... you know, I mean, it’s veto-proof,” Wilson said.

We’ve reached out to Governor Reeves’ office for reaction to the bill’s passing, but have not heard back.

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