FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Contact: Violet Cavendish
vcavendish@mpp.org
Amendment 65, favored by marijuana reform advocates, passes by wide margin
Washington, D.C. — Mississippi voters have approved a constitutional ballot initiative to establish a medical marijuana program for patients with debilitating conditions. Mississippi becomes the 36th state to enact a medical marijuana law.
“It is great to see that the tides of change are continuing to flow across the country and now they have come to Mississippi,” said Steve Hawkins, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, which was founded in 1995 and has played a central role in eight state-level legalization victories over the past eight years. “As we saw in Utah in 2018, and as we see in Mississippi this year, medical marijuana can pass in any state in the country.”
Mississippi is one of two states, along with South Dakota, that approved medical marijuana ballot initiatives this November. South Dakota also voted on legalizing marijuana for adults 21 and over, along with Arizona, New Jersey, and Montana. The initiatives in New Jersey and Arizona were approved with strong margins by voters earlier tonight. Advocates are awaiting final results in Montana and South Dakota.
Heading into Election Day, 34 states had legalized medical marijuana, and 11 states had legalized marijuana for adults 21 and over.
###
Founded in 1995, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is the nation’s leading cannabis policy reform organization. MPP has played a central role in passing dozens of cannabis policy reforms in states across the country, including 14 successful cannabis legalization campaigns, and also works to advance federal reforms.