NACB Urges the Legislature to Honor Mississippi Voters: Pass New Medical Cannabis Bill in 2022

A letter this week to the Mississippi legislature from the National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB) calls for state legislators to begin work immediately on a new bill to legalize the use of medicinal cannabis by qualified patients.

“A split decision of the Mississippi Supreme Court on May 14, to overturn a decisive vote by the people in favor of legalizing medical cannabis, is both disappointing and troubling,” said Mark Gorman, Executive Vice President of NACB. “The National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB) urges the House and Senate to begin work immediately on a legislative plan that can pass both chambers early in the 2022 session. Surely, all members will want to honor the voters of Mississippi, 74.1 percent of whom went to the polls to support Initiative 65,” he continued.

At least 35 states, including neighboring Alabama and Arkansas, have enacted medical cannabis laws that provide safe access to therapies that effectively relieve pain, treat seizures, and provide other medical benefits to qualified adults and children. According to NACB’s letter, these states have many excellent examples of well-designed and effectively regulated medical cannabis programs like the one presented in Initiative 65.

“Please accept our invitation to consult with you, your staff, and the state’s regulators who will be preparing medical marijuana legislation the remainder of this year. The National Association of Cannabis Businesses stands ready to assist,” Gorman concluded.

The NACB and its panels of experts have published various best practices and national standards for fundamental industry practices like security, proper packaging and labeling, testing, manufacturing, and cultivating. These standards can be found at NACB’s website, https://www.nacb.com/national-standards-home.

About the National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB): The National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB) is one of first self-regulatory organizations in the cannabis industry. NACB’s mission is to advance the industry by building consensus around best practices, promoting business responsibility and demonstrating to regulators what transparent and responsible regulations should look like. Compliance with NACB national standards is required for ongoing membership in the NACB.