The Mississippi Cannabis Trade Association’s Statement on Oral Arguments of Initiative 65

The Mississippi Cannabis Trade Association (MSCTA) looks forward to reviewing the Mississippi Supreme Court's imminent ruling on the recent legal challenge to Initiative 65. At its very core, this is a matter of upholding the will of the citizens of Mississippi and their constitutional right to propose and enact amendments through the ballot initiative process. The state constitution expressly prescribes certain enumerated rights to the people of Mississippi, and therefore, its provisions should be interpreted in a manner that preserves these rights, not destroys them. Nearly 75% of Mississippians overwhelmingly supported Initiative 65 in November in a vote that transcended political and socioeconomic boundaries. To strike down Initiative 65 would invalidate not only the medical cannabis program but the voice of Mississippi voters. As this country moves forward in a determined fashion with cannabis reform, the citizens of Mississippi were clear in their desire to bring the quantifiable medicinal benefits of cannabis and the industrial opportunities that accompany legalization to their state. 

The MSCTA is encouraged by the recent moves by the Mississippi Board of Health to enact regulations that will lead to the creation of a vibrant and responsible cannabis marketplace in Mississippi. The MSCTA also would like to emphasize that legal cannabis, whether medical or adult use, is a thriving industry that is growing at breakneck speed. This booming new economic sector would create thousands of jobs for the taxpaying citizens of this state. As more states formally recognize the medical and economic realities behind legalized cannabis, Mississippi should not be left behind - and its people chose not to be. It is the express right of the citizens to enact this program, and they did so with a loud, unified voice. It is the responsibility of the Mississippi judiciary to uphold these constitutional rights, and the MSTCA has confidence in their protection by the Mississippi Supreme Court. Accordingly, the MSCTA looks forward to working with the State of Mississippi to facilitate this new and welcome reality.