The Mississippi Legislature is making changes to its medical cannabis legalization proposal after reaching an agreement on legislation last month. The bill is an attempt to restore the will of Mississippi voters after the state’s Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved medical cannabis ballot measure earlier this year. Gov. Tate Reeves has said he will call a special session for cannabis policy reform if he and lawmakers can agree on the legislation. The revised proposal would allow larger cultivation facilities, restructure the excise tax on medical cannabis products and limit the Mississippi Department of Agriculture’s role in overseeing the program, according to an AP News report. Mississippi Agriculture and Commerce Secretary Andy Gipson previously said during an interview with SuperTalk Mississippi that he does not want medical cannabis regulated under his department. Republican Sen. Kevin Blackwell has sent the latest draft of the medical cannabis legalization proposal to his colleagues, AP News reported, but he told the news outlet that more changes are expected to ensure that cannabis businesses are barred from receiving economic development incentives. The latest version of the legislation “incorporates input from the Senate, House and Governor’s office,” Blackwell told AP News.
Posted Melissa Schiller, Cannabis Business Times, 10/25/2021 15:25:00