Olive Branch and Hernando have officially opted into Mississippi’s new medical marijuana bill, making them the first cities in DeSoto County to do so.
During Board of Alderman meetings April 19, both cities opted not to take any action, meaning they will officially be opted into the law, unless they chose to call a special session to vote on it. Neither city currently has plans to do.
Also April 19, Southaven chose to opt out of allowing medical marijuana dispensaries joining Horn Lake that did the same several weeks ago. The DeSoto County Board of Supervisors will vote on the issue for county residents Monday.
At the Olive Branch meeting, several patient advocates or parents of children who could benefit from using medical marijuana spoke in favor of allowing dispensaries.
“It was very touching and their testimonial is one that no one can take from them and they wish they didn’t have that testimony and the life experience of that, but they did,” Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams said “They were fully convinced and adamant that medical cannabis helped them. When you see that and hear that first hand, that to me overrides people’s fear of it being abused. Anything can be abused.”
The decision to opt in is one Adams has been hoping for, pointing to the fact that residents in both Olive Branch and the state are overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing medical marijuana.
In the November 2020 election, Mississippi voters approved Initiative Measure No. 65, which amended the Mississippi Constitution to allow qualified patients with debilitating medical conditions — certified by licensed Mississippi physicians — to use marijuana. The initiative, which is significantly different than the current bill, was struck down by the Mississippi Supreme Court in May 2021.
Adams isn’t concerned about any zoning issues that might arise. While a recent Mississippi Attorney opinion was part of Southaven leader’s rational for opting out until they can put together a zoning plan, Adams doesn’t believe that zoning for dispensaries will take more than a few weeks.
“In a city that has 51 churches, that in itself creates some unique zoning in itself,” Adams said, referencing the fact that the bill states that dispensaries cannot be closer than 1,000 feet from a church. “If you’ve got 51 churches, than that takes up a lot of the city.”
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While there might be a slight economic benefit to the city, Adams doesn’t predict it will be a large one. Licensing money from dispensaries is set to go to the state, leaving Olive Branch with only the sales tax. The boards decision to opt in came instead from the benefit medical marijuana could have on Olive Branch’s residents.
“Anything can be abused, whether it’s liquor, whether it’s aspirin,” Adams said. “I wish we could wave a magic wand and take out all the bad things in life and make sure there’s only good things, but we can’t, so if people need help from this medical cannabis than I want them to get the help that they need.”
Gina Butkovich covers DeSoto County, storytelling and general news. She can be reached at 901-232-6714 or on Twitter @gigibutko.
