Mississippi Farmers Pivot From Hemp to Pot

Now that medical cannabis has officially made its way to Mississippi, local newspapers are spotlighting the families who have brought the newly legalized crop to their counties and farms.

of daily reader In Lincoln County, Brookhaven, Mississippi, local officials were the first to opt out of the state’s newly enacted medical marijuana law.

Mississippi finally legalized medical cannabis treatment last year after legislative debate, but gave local governments the option to opt out of the program.

A decision in Lincoln County prompted Jason McDonald and Timothy Gibson to take action. Around daily reader, Two “spearheading efforts to legalize medical marijuana in Lincoln County after oversight boards first voted to opt out of medical marijuana,” county voters voted for decision by local authorities When it overturned, it finally brought the issue to a vote in August.

Following that vote, McDonald’s and Gibson “began working on opening their own medical marijuana growing facility.” according to daily reader, Establish a business called “SADUJA” [that] Separate from their tea garden, but on the same property in East Lincoln. ”

that business, Around daily reader“2021 will be the first time hemp will be licensed to grow, and as of December 22, Lincoln County has been licensed to grow medical marijuana.”

“Crime rates aren’t going up and property values ​​aren’t going down as people thought,” McDonald said. Said of daily reader“We’ve been growing hemp since 2021. We sold hemp to local stores around the Mississippi. People started growing cannabis legally here long before medical marijuana passed here.” I guess you didn’t realize it was being done. It was here and growing on the farm.”

“I think new people are generally afraid of it.” Added McDonald’s“That’s what we did on a larger scale, switching to medical cannabis instead of hemp. It’s the same plant. Growing any plant is really the same.”

Medical cannabis sales began on January 25, less than a year after Republican Governor Tate Reeves signed the bill into law.

The medical marijuana bill caused bitter disagreement within the Mississippi legislature, with lawmakers and Reeves insisting on imposing severe restrictions on the emerging law.

“The ‘medical marijuana bill’ has taken up an enormous amount of space on the front pages of legacy media across Mississippi over the past three years,” Reeves said last year after signing the settlement bill. rice field.

“There is no question that there are people in our state who could do much better if they had access to medically prescribed doses of cannabis. , some really want a recreational marijuana program that could lead to all of the social and family ills it brings,” the governor added.

One of Reeves’ main concerns was the amount of cannabis available to his patients. The governor said he wanted a limit of 2.7 grams per day. A bill that landed on his desk was approved by a non-vetoable majority, allowing patients to buy up to 3.5 grams a week, up to six times a week.

After signing the bill, Reeves said, “I made it clear that the bill on my desk was not what I would have written.” “However, it is true that the legislators who drafted the final version of the bill (Draft 45 or Draft 46) have made significant improvements towards achieving their ultimate goals.”