Mississippi voters to consider 2 versions of medical marijuana measure

Campaign ads have been running on Initiative 65 and Initiative 65A — the measures that will decide if and how medical marijuana is introduced in Mississippi.

The first ballot question asks if you want to approve either or neither. If yes, then you choose between 65, which is the voter-driven ballot measure. Initiative 65A was generated by lawmakers.

“It is intended to be confusing. That is 100% why the Legislature threw 65A on the ballot, after 65 qualified with more than 200,000 signatures from Mississippians,” said Jamie Grantham, with Medical Marijuana 2020.

Initiative 65 proponents are critical of the medical marijuana option 65A.

“If 65 is approved, Mississippians who deserve access to a regulated medical marijuana program under the care of physicians would absolutely have it,” Grantham said.

“(Initiative) 65A is something everybody should vote for instead of 65,” said Sen. Dean Kirby, a Republican from Pearl.

Senate President Pro-Temp Kirby said 65A would prevent the medical marijuana choice from being placed in the state constitution, which critics claim would make it hard to later change without a statewide vote of the people. He said that’s why lawmakers wanted voters to have an option on the ballot, not to confuse them. [Read more at ABC WAPT]