Mississippi Medical Marijuana
Cannabis, commonly referred to as marijuana, is legal in Mississippi. There does not need to be a ballot initiative in order to achieve that which is already legal.[1] Law enforcement officers just need to enforce the law. Juries need to nullify unconstitutional “laws.”
Article 3 Section 14 of the Constitution of the State of Mississippi dictates,
“No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property except by due process of law.”[2]
Some people may argue that due process does not protect “drug use” and so those people may lose their liberty by a simple majority vote in the legislature. They may even enjoy inflicting harm on those whom Jesus referred to “as the least of my brothers.”[3]
With these people in mind, the 9th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America reads,
“The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”[4]
Some people may further argue that this does not protect people at the state level, as it only applies to the Federal government.
With ending slavery in mind, the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution states,
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”[5]
Historically, black codes were used to keep the newly freed slaves subject to their masters.[6] The drug war follows the same formula: deny people their Constitutional rights and use the exception in the 13th Amendment to lock up those who are uppity.
The 13th Amendment reads,
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”[7]
People use cannabis either way. Some people just think that more taxes and less freedom via a police state will eliminate drug use, despite even just a casual glance at the facts and history.
Alcohol prohibition needed a Constitutional Amendment (18th Amendment). So does cannabis prohibition.
Cannabis is already legal. The police are just not enforcing the law.
In summary,
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”
-Sam Adams, Speech at the Philadelphia State House, August 1, 1776
[1] https://www.medicalmarijuana2020.com/
[2]https://www.sos.ms.gov/Education-Publications/Documents/Downloads/Mississippi_Constitution.pdf
[3]
Matthew 25:35-40 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
[4]https://constitutioncenter.org/media/files/constitution.pdf
[5] ibidem
[6] https://www.history.com/.amp/topics/black-history/black-codes
[7]https://constitutioncenter.org/media/files/constitution.pdf
