MS Alliance for Cannabis Starts Petition to Legalize Pot
Marijuana has become a burning issue nationwide, and with a local group working to put the issue to a vote, the debate rages on, hitting close to home for folks like Tara Duet, who works as a caretaker. Duet says, "In a perfect world, everyone would be healthy all the time and make the perfect decisions all the time, but we’re not. We’re a society that self-medicates and legalization doesn’t hurt anyone."
Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska have already legalized recreational use and are now reaping the benefits. Colorado collected $7.5 million of tax revenue in August alone and $45 million to date, money local supporters say our state could use for schools and roads. Stephanie Dreher, Director of Development for the Mississippi Alliance for Cannabis, says, "Right now, it is unregulated and uncontrolled. Our position is to regulate it, tax it, and have greater controls."
As of November, more than 15 states have legalized medicinal or limited uses, but some still feel the negatives would outweigh the benefits of legalization. Carmela Jones, a retired health professional, says, "They’re making it too easy. Our youth would be complaining about migraines and any other health issues to get the marijuana, just to get it."
Whether you agree with legalization or not, the petition for Ballot Initiative 48 is asking that we let the citizens of Mississippi decide at the polls. Dreher also says, "Our goal here is to let the constitutional process play out. This petition is about Mississippians having the right to vote about this issue."
The group will have to collect a little more than 107,000 signatures on the petition by August 2nd of this year. If that happens, the initiative to legalize pot will be put on the ballot and voters throughout the state will make the final decision.
Leave a Reply