Lawmakers want to bring medical marijuana back

JACKSON, Miss. —

Lawmakers are trying to find a way to bring medical marijuana back to life in Mississippi.

Lawmakers said they are taking the steps needed to get a special session called to deal with it.

Lawmakers are conducting listening sessions to decide how to shape new medical marijuana legislation. This comes in the wake of the state supreme court shooting down the state's referendum process.

"We really have two issues we have to deal with," said Gov. Tate Reeves.

Reeves said lawmakers may not address the state referendum process until next year when voters return to the polls in the fall.

The measure was shot down by the state supreme court, halting the medical marijuana program that was supposed to become law over the summer.

Lawmakers are conducting listening sessions trying to craft a bill that will convince Reeves to call them back for a special session.

Reeves said it should not be replaced in the state constitution and should require stricter zoning.

"There is certainly a strong argument that if individual municipalities have the ability to zone every other business within that municipality then perhaps it is worth considering for this businesses as well," said Reeves.

"We are just trying to expedite the process. Part of our process is to go in and have hearings, get information on both sides to develop appropriate legislation," said DeSoto County Republican Sen. Kevin Blackwell.

Blackwell is one of the legislative leaders in the listening sessions that have brought in program operators and doctors from other states.

He said the one they will draft will have some changes to the measure that was passed by more than 70% of the voters.

"The bill left a lot to the Department of Health to decide regulations. I think what we come up with is going to be pretty close to 65 in a number of regards, but there may be some differences," Blackwell said.

The governor seems steadfast that he is not going to call lawmakers back for a special session on medical marijuana until lawmakers have a good idea of what type of shape that bill will take at the state capitol.

Lawmakers could have that new measure drafted within a couple of weeks. Reeves has the sole authority to call lawmakers back for a special session to deal with that measure. Otherwise, they would have to wait until the next regular session begins in January 2022.