Mississippi is on the verge of legalizing a commercial medical cannabis program after the state House of Representatives on Wednesday voted 104-14 in favor of a bill to launch an MMJ program.
But Senate Bill 2095, which was passed last week by the state Senate, was amended in the House, so it must go back to the Senate for approval before heading to the desk of Republican Gov. Tate Reeves.
“Today is an historic day for the patients of Mississippi,” Kevin Caldwell, Southeast legislative manager for the Washington DC-headquartered Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement.
Caldwell noted that the state Legislature crafted a compromise bill after the Mississippi Supreme Court last year voided a voter-approved measure on technical grounds.
Senate Bill 2095, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act of 2022, is more restrictive than the business-friendly measure passed by voters.
A major difference is that the current legislation would allow municipalities to opt out of the industry.
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Reeves declined to call a special legislative session last year to pass a medical marijuana bill and most recently expressed concerns about the amount of marijuana patients would be allowed to purchase.
In efforts to alleviate Reeves’ concerns, the House passed an amendment that lowered the maximum monthly purchase limit from 3.5 ounces to 3 ounces, according to the Clarion Ledger.
