Following a series of marijuana-oriented jokes from lawmakers, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act passed the House with a 104-14 vote on Wednesday afternoon.
“This is a medical program. This is not a recreational program. This is for people who are sick. This is for people with debilitating illnesses,” Representative Lee Yancey, R-Brandon, reiterated when addressing the chamber.
Three changes were made to the bill:
- The maximum amount of medical marijuana a person can receive each month goes from 3.5 ounces to 3 ounces.
- Any potential role for the Mississippi Department of Agriculture has been removed. Commissioner Andy Gipson has previously been outspoken in his concerns with the bill.
- Cultivators and processors can now be located in areas with commercial zoning.
The 14 nays came from Barnett, Boyd, C. Brown, Calvert, J. Ford, Hobgood-Wilkes, Ladner, McLean, Morgan, Owen, Scott, Smith, Williamson, and Wright.
The bill will now head back to the Senate, where lawmakers will review the amendments.
Mississippi Senate passes medical marijuana bill with 46-5 vote
