Consider This: Pass Medical Marijuana Legislation

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - It has been more than a year since Mississippians voted overwhelmingly to allow medical marijuana.

That ballot initiative was approved by 74% of Mississippi voters. It wasn’t a 51 to 49 vote… it was a landslide.

Another way to look at it: Only 26% of the people voted against it. However, due to a reduction in the number of congressional districts, the state supreme court ruled the citizen led initiative process invalid, voiding the marijuana vote.

Over the past year, the state legislature has studied medical marijuana programs more than any other topic in years.

Led by Senator Kevin Blackwell and Representative Lee Yancy, they worked together to create common sense legislation. Governor Reeves promised to call a special session if the two sides reached an agreement, which they did.

Then the Governor reneged on his promise, using the same obstructionist methods he was so infamously known for during his time as Lieutenant Governor.

Here’s Representative Yancy’s take on that posturing: “He uses recreational terminology, making it sound as bad as it possibly can.”

And Bethany Hill, from the group We are 74 put it like this: “No offense Governor, but doctors go to school for almost a decade and study. And you don’t have the right to determine how much medicine our body needs. So, I just think a lot of it’s absurd.”

Legislative leaders have done their homework.

The Mississippi medical marijuana program will be one of the most conservative in the country. They have the votes to pass the legislation and hopefully override a veto by the Governor.

It’s time to implement this program so the hundreds of thousands of Mississippians who are suffering can finally get some relief.

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