2020 saw 74 percent of voters approve of IM 65. This measure legalized medical cannabis for qualifying patients across Mississippi. Then in 2021, the state’s Supreme Court overturned the measure, and the ballot initiative process, on a technicality. What voters so greatly approved of was no longer legal.

Lawmakers then took it upon themselves to write a similar bill with more safeguards in place to give the people what they obviously want. And Governor Tate Reeves, R, agreed. He agreed with the will of the people. If Mississippi lawmakers could draft a medical cannabis bill, then he would call for a special session where medical cannabis could receive a debate and hopefully pass. Then the Department of Health, in charge of the medical cannabis program, could get the ball rolling. 

But the further along 2021 went, the less likely it became that a special session would be called in Mississippi. In September, lawmakers presented Governor Reeves with a draft of their medical cannabis bill, which Reeves had requested before calling a special session. Lawmakers even made changes to their bill at the governor’s request. But a special session never happened. There was only one measure the governor wanted that lawmakers wouldn’t agree to. 

Now, the regular session has begun, and lawmakers are not moving forward with medical cannabis as they had promised at the end of 2021. One lawmaker even said medical cannabis wasn’t “a priority” right away. Why have Mississippi lawmakers changed their tune regarding medical cannabis now that the regular session is here?

Governor Response

Governor Reeves took to Facebook over the holidays to explain why he is not on board with the medical cannabis bill that lawmakers had originally presented him with. 

“I’ve repeatedly told the members of the Legislature that I am willing to sign a bill that is truly medical marijuana,” Reeves wrote. “One that has reasonable restrictions to ensure that it doesn’t have an adverse effect on Mississippi’s economy. One that has reasonable restrictions to ensure that it doesn’t disrupt Mississippi families. A program that helps those Mississippians who truly need it for an illness.

“This program allows virtually unlimited access to marijuana once you qualify,” Reeves continued. “There is no pharmacist involved and no doctor setting the amount.”

Reeves also said that the 3.5 grams of medical cannabis a day a patient can purchase would make 11 rolled joints, something that is too high for the state right off the bat. 

Pushback

Surprisingly, the first lawmaker to push back against Governor Reeves’ statement is Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, R. He met directly with lawmakers writing the bill as well as cannabis supporters and medical cannabis companies from outside the state. 

“[Experts] informed me that it’s not 11,” Hosemann said, directly responding to Reeves’ statement. “It depends on how much weed you put inside the rolled-up paper, but if you did 11, according to the people that we talk to, it would be mostly paper.”

Lt. Governor Hosemann, who is in charge of the Senate, has traditionally been against cannabis legalization. However, the overwhelming support for IM 65 in 2020 has pushed him to want to legalize medical cannabis. “Over 70 percent voted to have medical marijuana so I think that’s mandate for the Senate and the House to address medical marijuana,” he said.

But the same can’t be said for the Mississippi House. While they have worked with the Senate to create a medical cannabis bill, it may not be a priority to some this upcoming session. House Speaker Phillip Gunn, R, said while he supports medical cannabis, it’s not a priority for him this session. “The top issue for us is income tax,” he said. “We are going to be pushing our income tax agenda.”

Negotiations

Senator Kevin Blackwell, R, is the lead Senator in negotiations for medical cannabis and is pushing hard for the daily purchase amount to remain the same

Recently, he met with Governor Reeves to discuss the bill in person and hopefully come to some agreement. “I thought it went well. He was receptive, appreciative of the meeting. Hopefully we moved the bar a little bit closer to an agreement,” Blackwell said. “He was non-committal, so they’re going to think about what we said and get back with us.

“We talked about the differences between what he has portrayed as being Oklahoma’s bill … to the things that we’ve done, what we’ve put in place, the safeguards which Oklahoma didn’t have,” he continued. “They didn’t have a seed-to-sale tracking system. I don’t believe there’s any cap on the (qualifying) diagnoses, we have, I think, 28 debilitating diagnoses. Counties and municipalities can opt out of the program. We’ve gotten so many (safeguards) in place.

“I took samples to show him what an ounce actually looks like—what 3.5 grams actually looks like.”

Future

Even though Blackwell met with Reeves to try and come to a compromise, they didn’t meet one. Now it’s up to lawmakers to push the issue forward. But with not every lawmaker on board, and the Mississippi regular session only lasting a few months of the year, medical cannabis may be pushed to the wayside. As more information becomes available, we will update you with the latest. 

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