Consider This: Medical Marijuana is Finally Approved

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - They did it. They actually did it.

Even though it might not look exactly like it did on the ballot, the state legislature and the governor have approved a medical marijuana program.

As you’re aware, the representatives of the people of Mississippi don’t always represent the wishes of the people of Mississippi. In this case however, with 74% of Mississippi voters approving medical marijuana, that sent a message to state leadership that they needed to act.

Now the hundreds of thousands of Mississippians who are suffering can hopefully get some relief.

Legislators now need to address what caused the vote of the people to be overruled by the state supreme court and ultimately to this legislative action. Mississippians need to have a mechanism to enact change when the legislature doesn’t act.

We deserve to have a way to offer citizen led initiatives through a referendum process. And even though we could debate the real reason the previous initiative process was challenged, ultimately Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler did Mississippians a favor by getting the old process tossed out.

We don’t need to change our constitution when these initiatives are approved. The initiative process should change state statute.

The legislature needs to approve a new ballot initiative process this session so Mississippians can vote on it in the next major election in November.

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