Mississippi Becomes 37th State to Legalize Medical Cananbis

JACKSON, Mississippi — Mississippi has legalized medical cannabis for those suffering from terminal illnesses like cancer, AIDS, and sickle cell disease.

Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, signed the bill on Wednesday, and it went into effect immediately. However, the first canabis dispensaries may not operate for months.

“There is no doubt that there are individuals in our state who could do significantly better if they had access to medically prescribed doses of cannabis,” Reeves wrote on a Twitter post, but he also added: “There are also those who really want a recreational cannabis program that could lead to more people smoking and less people working, with all the societal and family ills that that brings.”

(Image: Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves)

In November 2020, a majority of Mississippi voters passed a medical cannabis initiative that would have enabled people to purchase up to 5 ounces of cannabis per month.

But the earlier measure was invalidated when the state Supreme Court struck down the state’s entire ballot initiative process, their Supreme court stated that the state’s initiative mechanism was outmoded and that the proposal had not been properly placed on the ballot.

The final form of Senate Bill 2095 was passed last week by the state House and Senate of the Mississippi State Legislature.

The Legislature approved Senate Bill 2095 on January 26, 2022. The bill was passed in the Senate by a vote of 46-6 and in the House by 104-13.

Mississippi patients have been waiting a long time for cannabis access, according to NORML’s State Policies Manager Jax James. “We remain concerned that lawmakers saw fit to impose unnecessary taxes on cannabis products, that patients are prohibited from growing small amounts of cannabis for personal use, and that those with chronic pain are barred from using cannabis products until they have used more dangerous and addictive substances like opioids,” she stated in her press release.

Recreational cannabis use is still banned in Mississippi.

Patients will be able to purchase up to 3.5 grams of cannabis each day, up to six days a week, under the new law. This works out to roughly 3 ounces per month. It establishes taxes on cannabis cultivation and sale, as well as the need that plants be grown indoors under controlled conditions.

The new law forbids the state from giving cannabis-related economic development incentives. For roads or water access to industrial areas, the state frequently grants tax discounts and financial support.

Cities and counties have 90 days to opt out of authorizing medicinal cannabis grow and sell operations under the statute. However, residents in those villages could petition for an election to overturn the decisions of local officials and allow them to proceed.

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