A new bill to legalize medical marijuana was introduced in Mississippi on Tuesday and is set to be considered by a Senate committee as soon as Wednesday afternoon. A medical cannabis program could be up and running by later this year if the long-awaited legislation becomes law this session. The bill’s route to passage, however, is precarious. Gov. Tate Reeves (R) has already threatened to veto the measure over its proposed purchase limits, which he says are too high, and some other state officials remain wary. But supportive lawmakers have said they’re confident they’ll have the votes to override any veto and push the legislation through. Medical marijuana remains a contentious topic in Mississippi despite voters there decisively approving a broad legalization initiative in November 2020. The state Supreme Court overturned the measure on procedural grounds last May—simultaneously doing away with the state’s entire initiative process—and lawmakers have spent the last several months navigating what comes next. The new bill, SB 2095, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Blackwell (R), draws heavily from provisions negotiated by lawmakers in the second half of last year, as legislative leaders prepared a bill for an anticipated special session that the governor never called.
Ben Adlin, Marijuana Moment, 01/12/2022 09:09:00