AMORY – As the early May deadline looms for counties and municipalities to opt out of Mississippi’s medical marijuana option, the board of aldermen took action April 19 in order to gather more details from state officials before making its final decision.
Alderman-at-large Joe McGonagill made a motion to temporarily opt out as allowable by the local government option, pending receipt of rules and regulations from the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi Department of Revenue.
He said upon receipt of the regulations and rules, the board of aldermen will reevaluate the opt-in option.
“A lot of people will say that we’ve already voted on this and passed this, but we did not. The initiative that passed was to allow medical marijuana for patients with debilitating conditions. We have until May 3 to opt out. The problem is that the department of health and department of revenue have not yet released their guidelines. We need those guidelines to incorporate into some of our (ordinance) language,” said Mayor Corey Glenn.
Senate Bill 2095, known as the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, traces back to a November 2020 ballot initiative in which the majority of voters statewide favored a medical marijuana program.
Gov. Tate Reeves signed the bill into law in early February allowing for Mississippians with serious medical issues to receive medical cannabis. According to Associated Press reports from earlier this year, the senate bill allows an individual who has a marijuana prescription to obtain as much as 3.5 grams of the substance per day, or roughly 3.5 ounces per month.
Local governments, however, have the option under the law to opt out of allowing for medical marijuana dispensaries and processing and growing facilities to operate within their jurisdictions.
Glenn said he opposed the initiative even though he supported a related measure in the past.
When asked for his opinion on behalf of the police department, Chief Ronnie Bowen concurred with Glenn’s reservations.
“They added a lot of stuff to it in Jackson that wasn’t on the ballot that we voted on,” he said.
Ward 4 Alderman Glen Bingham shared his concerns about the revised legislation in the form of a warning.
“This is nothing but a stepping stone to legalizing marijuana,” he said.
In other business, aldermen approved financing through Community Bank for five new police vehicles. The board also accepted a Mississippi Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security payment of $39,000 for MSWIN public safety communication system units purchased for the police department.
Eddie Wilemon requested for the city to abandon a portion of 103 Street near the former Rodeway terminal he recently purchased. Action was deferred to the next meeting pending further study of the request.
Business owner Lindsey Mitchell appeared on behalf of herself and three other business owners with a request to have sidewalk canopies removed from in front of 231, 237, 241 and 243 North Main St.
During his time for comment, Ward 1 Alderman Mike Edgeworth expressed his appreciation on behalf of the citizens of his ward for the hard work of city departments and crews during the Amory Railroad Festival.
