JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Lawmakers, medical cannabis patients, dispensary owners, and growers rallied at the Mississippi Capitol on Monday, urging legislators to override Governor Tate Reeves’ veto of two bills aimed at expanding access and easing restrictions in the state’s medical marijuana program. Rep. Lee Yancey, who authored the legislation, addressed the crowd, stating, “What we’re doing is for the patients.”
Overview of the Vetoed Legislation
The vetoed bills, House Bill 1152 and House Bill 895, both cleared the Mississippi House and Senate before being rejected by Reeves last week. HB 1152, titled the Right to Try Medical Cannabis Act, proposes a new pathway for individuals with serious illnesses to join the program, regardless of whether their condition is included in the approved list of qualifying ailments. Under this bill, a treating medical provider could petition the Mississippi State Department of Health for patient access to medical cannabis.
Advocacy for Broader Patient Access
Mike Watkins, a patient advocate and veteran, emphasized that the measure could assist patients whose symptoms may not fit existing categories. “There are a lot of conditions that you may not have one slight thing or the other, or it may not fall neatly underneath, but you still have chronic pain or this or that,” Watkins noted. “So, this bill would open that up.”
Proposed Changes in Current Program
Supporters also advocated for HB 895, which seeks to amend several regulations within the current framework. This bill proposes removing THC potency limits for certain products, extending caregiver registry cards from one to two years, and eliminating the automatic six-month follow-up visit requirement.
Evan Dailey, a medical cannabis patient and business owner, argued that the THC cap restricts potency for certain essential products, raising costs for patients. “We cut the medicine in its true form at anywhere between 75% and 90%, and we’re bringing it to 60%. So, are they getting relief? Yes. But are they getting the true relief they need? No,” Dailey explained, highlighting the financial burden such restrictions may create.
Push for Legislative Action
The rally underscores a growing push among advocates for lawmakers to consider overriding a governor’s veto, particularly as the legislative session approaches its conclusion. Zach Schnoor from Pure Mississippi Farms expressed optimism, stating, “It’s another bump in the road, but I believe, with the support that we have and the advocacy that we have in the Capitol now, things are going to change.”
Watkins reinforced the need for legislative reform, asserting, “Every single prediction that Tate Reeves has had about cannabis has been wrong, and they’re not going to start being right now.” Overriding a veto would necessitate a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature.
