OXFORD, Miss. — Support is growing for the federal legalization of medical marijuana.
Legislation led in part by Congressman Steve Cohen is gaining traction with Republicans and Democrats cosponsoring the bipartisan act.
Tuesday WREG spoke with one woman, Kelly Jacobs, who is trying to take that effort a step further in Mississippi.
“I am trying to collect signatures on Ballot Initiative 48,” she said. “We are trying to regulate marijuana like alcohol because regulation works.”
Jacobs is trying to get enough signatures to land the issue of legalizing marijuana on the ballot in Mississippi.
“We need 110,000 by December 29. We have 4,200.”she said.
Jacobs wants to see marijuana completely legalized and regulated, so people under the age of 21 cannot buy it and people cannot legally drive under the influence of it.
But the ballot initiative does not stop there.
“We require the Governor to pardon cannabis crimes so we can empty the jails,” Jacobs added.
Nationally, Congressman Steve Cohen is among those sponsoring the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act. It would let states set their own medical marijuana policies, recognize the medical uses of marijuana on a federal level and allow VA doctors to recommend marijuana-related treatments to patients.
So far, six Republicans and six Democrats in Washington have cosponsored the Act.
“They looked at the polls, and they saw that young Republicans want this. Young Democrats want this,” Jacobs said.
She has had mixed reactions to her own campaign, but Jacobs hopes in the end people will agree it is time for a change.
“You’ve had your way for decades,” she said to critics. “Let’s try it a different way.”
For information on how to sign the petition, go to http://www.Yesonproposition48.Org/. Only registered Mississippi voters can sign.
