Legislature’s efforts to approve medical marijuana bill fails

Published 9:07 am Wednesday, March 31, 2021

The Mississippi Legislature’s effort to provide its version of a medical marijuana bill has ended.

Lawmakers chose to kill the Senate’s proposal to add language on medical marijuana to the existing Harper Grace’s Law, named after a two-year-old girl who suffered from a rare form of epilepsy. The bill allows for the use of CBD oil for medicinal purposes.

The existing law remains in place without the additional language.

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As a result of the Legislature’s inaction on the issue, the only medical marijuana legislation left is Initiative 65, which was overwhelmingly approved by voter in a referendum last year.

The validity of the referendum is currently under review by the Mississippi Supreme Court after Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler challenged the referendum saying Initiative 65 was unlawfully placed on the ballot. The court is set to hear arguments in mid-April.