Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

Mississippi marijuana law could have ‘been much worse,’ CAC says

  • February 17, 2022
  • Mississippi's The Baptist Record
  • Mississippi

Mississippi marijuana law could have ‘been much worse,’ CAC says

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed the legislative bill to legalize medical marijuana on Feb. 2, making Mississippi the 37th state to legalize the drug.

“I have made it clear that the bill on my desk is not the one that I would have written,” he said in a Facebook post later that day. “But it is a fact that the legislators who wrote the final version of the bill (the 45th or 46th draft) made significant improvements to get us towards accomplishing the ultimate goal.”

You should have seen the ‘earlier drafts’

Kenny Digby, executive director-treasurer of the Mississippi Baptist Convention’s Christian Action Commission, said CAC specifically studied the medical marijuana issue for two years before the agency’s commissioners voted to oppose legalization.

“The political world most often is not ‘all or nothing,’” Digby said. “CAC is opposed to any marijuana legalization, but if one of the earlier drafts had been passed, this would have been a much worse law.

“Many changes were made as the bill was going through the legislative process, and we were able to express our concerns through a coalition of Christian denominations across Mississippi that came together on this issue.”

Digby said two examples of changes made during the journey of the bill through the Mississippi Legislature are a reduction in the original amount of marijuana available per month and the stipulation that marijuana dispensaries cannot be located within 1,000 feet of a church — both changes on which the coalition insisted.

74% majority

After a referendum signature drive for a Mississippi Constitution amendment, voters on Nov. 3, 2020, approved medical marijuana by a 74% majority. However, the City of Madison under the leadership of Mayor Mary Hawkins had filed a lawsuit in late October before the vote. The City of Madison alleged the referendum violated the Mississippi Constitution that mandates the distribution of referendum drive signatures cannot not exceed one-fifth of the total number of signatures between the state’s five congressional districts — the number of districts when the 1890 state constitution was ratified.

However, Mississippi now has only four congressional districts and the lawsuit argued that it was therefore a “mathematical certainty” that the one-fifth-per-district constitutional stipulation had been violated.

“What the city and the mayor oppose is the failure of the Legislature to amend section 273(3) and the failure of the secretary of state to follow the plain language of the Constitution,” the lawsuit stated. “A constitutional amendment must be enacted constitutionally.”

On May 14, 2021, the Mississippi Supreme Court voided the referendum on the grounds that it did not meet the one-fifth constitution requirement and then declined to reconsider its decision on July 1, 2021, thereby ending the battle over the referendum.

The Legislature picked up the issue shortly after going into its annual session in early January of this year.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by William Perkins and was originally published by the Baptist Record, newsjournal of the Mississippi Baptist Convention.

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Providing more than meals, meeting ‘critical’ need
    Providing more than meals, meeting ‘critical’ need
    July 14, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for July 20
    Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for July 20
    July 14, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Fulani herdsmen kill, kidnap Christians in Kaduna State, Nigeria
    Fulani herdsmen kill, kidnap Christians in Kaduna State, Nigeria
    July 14, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Youth music camp trains next generation of worship leaders

HeartSong Youth Music and Worship Arts Camp was held June 24–28 on the campus of William Carey University, drawing 85 campers, 20 adult sponsors, and 30 staff members for a week focused on worship leadership.

Mississippi News July 3, 2025

Obituaries Gary Fuller, former Pike associational missionary, died May 20. He was 76. David Lindsay Brooks, longtime pastor and Mississippi native, died May 21 in

‘You’re bringing the church to us’: Lord of Glory Baptist ministers through free clothes shop

A couple of years ago, Wilson Ramsey got a trailer to move his son’s furniture from Mississippi to Illinois. And when he got back home, he was trying to figure out what to do with it.

Mississippi News June 19, 2025

Events Saturday Night Alive youth worship, 7–8 p.m., Winston Association (junior high and high school students): June 28 — Poplar Flat Church July 12 —

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel