Despite being a young student when Afroman’s hit song, “Then I Got High,” was released, plaguing school officials, who waged a losing battle to keep students from singing it, I’ll admit I am torn on the ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana in Mississippi.
Earlier this month, a coalition called Mississippians for Compassionate Care filed Initiative 65, also called Medical Marijuana 2020, with the Secretary of State’s office. The petition has about 106,000 signatures, several thousand over the 85,000-mark needed for it to appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Should the measure pass, medical marijuana will become legal beginning in 2020. But, I’m not sure that’s a good thing.
I’ve seen both sides of marijuana. For those that suffer from epilepsy, seizures, PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain or a host of other ailments – Initiative 65 lists 22 conditions – medical marijuana can be a godsend. A family friend with an epileptic toddler swears by it and having seen the child’s improvement under a cannabis regimen myself, I can understand why. Another friend, whose close relative suffers from Alzheimer’s, has also seen marked improvements in her relative’s comfort and mood since beginning medical marijuana treatments.
For some, medical marijuana restores a little bit of peace, some normalcy. It’s an effective drug, and they should have access to it if it can help them.
On the other side of the issue, my experience with people in recovery from substance abuse makes clear marijuana isn’t as safe as some would have you believe. I’ve met people who’ve lost more than they had to give and then some because of marijuana.
Marijuana, legal or otherwise, is a drug. That’s all it is. It isn’t a miracle cure, a curse or a crime against God. It’s a plant that can help or hurt depending on how we use it. But, if the properties of marijuana were my only concern, I’d definitely say yes to Initiative 65. I’m not saying yes…yet.
My main issue with legalizing medical marijuana in Mississippi is that the federal government still classifies cannabis as an illegal substance. As such, insurance companies will not cover the cost of the medical marijuana card, which is set to run about $50, or the cost of the prescriptions themselves. Everything would be out-of-pocket.
Considering the costs the state will incur setting up medical marijuana dispensaries, building the infrastructure to regulate it and the tax that is sure to added to the price, I doubt many of the Mississippians who could actually benefit from cannabis prescriptions will be able to afford it.
To give an example, a few years ago on a trip to Colorado, a dispensary near my hotel in Longmont was charging $165 for the same amount of product my neighbor in Mississippi was selling for $40. I’ll note here for our local law enforcement, I didn’t purchase from either supplier.
It’s an accepted part of life when the government gets involved, everything costs more, takes longer and doesn’t work as well. I don’t see medical marijuana being any different.
Sure, it could help thousands of Mississippians regain some of their freedom and independence. And for some, it would bring a living nightmare worse than death. In that, it is no different from any other drug or even beer. The issue, the real issue with medical marijuana is whether we can trust our state legislators to recognize the health benefits and put the well being of the people above the potential tax revenue. I’d like to think so, but their track record doesn’t show much promise.
So, for now, my vote on Initiative 65 is a solid maybe.
Thomas is the managing editor of the Newton County Appeal. He can be reached at thoward@newtoncountyappeal.com
