Miss. House passes alternative medical marijuana initiative to be listed alongside original

JACKSON, Miss. (WLOX) - The Mississippi House of Representatives passed an alternative version of the medical marijuana initiative that will appear on ballots this November.

If approved by the Senate, House Concurrent Resolution No. 39 would be listed alongside the original Ballot Initiative Measure No. 65 during the Nov. 3 elections.

Ballot Initiative 65 proposes to amend the Mississippi Constitution to allow qualified patients with debilitating medical conditions, as certified by Mississippi licensed physicians, to use medical marijuana.

Due to the method by which the initiative was put on the ballot, the Mississippi Legislature was given four months to review, amend, adopt or reject it before the statewide election.

On Tuesday, representatives voted 72-49 to pass HCR 39 with additional provisions to the legalization of medical marijuana, such as providing for a limited number of state-licensed manufacturers of marijuana products, reporting requirements and limited categories of marijuana preparation.

“If approved by the Senate, the legislative alternative will be listed alongside our initiative (Ballot Initiative 65) in a way that will prevent a fair up-or-down vote on medical marijuana by confusing voters,” said Mississippians for Compassionate Care Communications Director Jamie Grantham in a statement in response to the House vote.

HCR 39 must now be approved by the Mississippi Senate. CLICK HERE to read the initial ballot initiative and CLICK HERE to read the proposed alternate version.