Ag Commissioner Gipson Responds

Special to The Canton News

On January 19, the Mississippi House Drug Policy Committee amended SB2095, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, to remove the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce from Mississippi’s medical marijuana program. The full House approved this change.

Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson responded:

“I want to thank House Speaker Philip Gunn, Chairman Lee Yancey, and the Mississippi House of Representatives for removing the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce from the medical marijuana program. The best place for a truly medical program is under the Department of Health, which reflects the will of the voters in Initiative 65. This change is good policy for Mississippi agriculture and allows us to focus on our core mission. It is also good policy for the taxpayers of Mississippi because it achieves greater efficiency in the use of funds by reducing the number of agencies involved in the program. The Department of Agriculture remains committed to assisting the Department of Health on any technical issues that may arise in this program, just as we are committed to all of state government when we can be of help.”