Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has vetoed two measures aimed at broadening access to medical cannabis, even as he approved a separate measure to advance research into a psychedelic drug with potential therapeutic uses.
One of the vetoed proposals, HB 1152 (Right to Try Medical Cannabis Act), sought to expand eligibility for patients who do not currently meet the state’s strict list of qualifying conditions. The bill would have allowed physicians to petition the state Health Department on behalf of individuals suffering from serious or life-threatening illnesses. Under the plan, the state health officer would have had authority to approve or deny such requests.
In his veto statement, Reeves acknowledged the intent behind the legislation, noting that many would agree patients facing severe or terminal conditions should have access to treatments that may ease their suffering. However, he pointed to changes made during the legislative process as a key reason for his decision.
According to the governor, a Senate revision eliminating the requirement that applicants be Mississippi residents would have dramatically widened access. He argued that removing this condition could open the program to people far beyond the state’s population, raising concerns about oversight and misuse.
Reeves said maintaining a careful balance between medical use and recreational misuse has been an ongoing challenge for the state. He warned that the revised proposal risked undermining the current structure, potentially shifting the program toward broader, non-medical use.
The governor also vetoed a second bill that aimed to allow higher potency cannabis products by removing a cap on THC levels for items such as oils and concentrates. The measure, HB 0895, also included provisions to reduce the frequency of required doctor visits for patients and extend the registration period for caregivers.
According to Reeves, those changes would weaken key safeguards designed to prevent misuse. He described the current system as effective in limiting cannabis use strictly to medical purposes and said there was no clear need to revise it at this time.
While the cannabis measures were turned away, Reeves approved legislation establishing a research initiative centered on ibogaine. The new law creates a consortium tasked with conducting clinical trials to secure FDA approval. Researchers will study the drug’s potential in treating opioid addiction, related substance use disorders, and certain mental health conditions.
The measure also grants the state a share of any profits tied to discoveries or products that result from the research.
Separately, another proposal that would have permitted terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana in hospitals and hospice settings passed the House but did not advance in the Senate.
The cannabis industry will be disappointed that the reforms intended in the vetoed bills didn’t become law, but as established firms like Green Thumb Industries Inc. (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF) know all too well that reform is a slow process and doesn’t progress in a straight line.
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