Mississippi Senate kills medical marijuana tax bill, passes it later

The Mississippi Senate did a 180 on a proposal to set a seven percent sales tax on medical marijuana.

Senators killed a bill Thursday night then came back hours later and passed it after 1 a.m. Friday.

Mississippi residents voted by a wide margin in November to adopt Initiative 65, a constitutional amendment that authorizes medical marijuana in the state, but the initiative is being challenged in court.

Republican Senator Kevin Blackwell of Olive Branch says his bill is not intended to replace Initiative 65. He says it would be a back up plan in case courts block what voters approved.