·1 ·2 ·3· · · · ·VIDEO RECORDING OF HATTIESBURG TOWN HALL MEETING ·4· · · · · · · · DATE OF RECORDING:· October 7, 2020 ·5 ·6· · · · · · · · · · · · ·PERSONS RECORDED: ·7· Secretary of State Michael Watson ·8· Mayor Toby Barker ·9· Angie Calhoun 10· Ed Langton 11· Pastor Anthony McCullum 12· Jamie Grantham 13· David Singletary 14· Dr. David Allen 15· John O’Hara 16· Dr. Mark Horne 17· Chad Edmonson 18· Representative Omeria Scott 19· Jennifer Cvitanovich 20· Dr. Thad Waites 21· Jonathan Brown 22· Jeremy George 23· Thomas Brett Barham 24 25 ·1· · · · · ·(background) ·2· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Good evening. ·3· · · · · ·(everyone present responds good evening) ·4· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·I’m, uh, Michael Watson, the ·5· ·City’s 36th Secretary of State, and on behalf of the State ·6· ·of Mississippi, I’d like to welcome you to the public ·7· ·hearing regarding Initiative Measure No. 65 and Legislature ·8· ·Alternative 65A. ·9· · · · · ·Our Office will host a series of (inaudible) all 10· ·five congressional districts, as required by state of law, 11· ·to allow voters the chance to express their opinions and 12· ·learn more about the initiative prior to election day. 13· · · · · ·Tonight is the third of five public hearings. I 14· ·would like to thank the Jackie Dole Sherrill Community 15· ·Center for letting us use their facility, as well as the 16· ·mayor for welcoming us into his town and, uh, the 17· ·Mississippi Highway Patrol, who is, uh, providing security 18· ·for tonight’s event.· You might not see them, but they’re 19· ·here. 20· · · · · ·This year, Mississippi voters will have the 21· ·opportunity to decide if they want -- sorry.· This year, 22· ·Mississippi voters will have the opportunity to decide if 23· ·they want to amend the Mississippi Constitution to add a 24· ·medical marijuana program.· If they do, they have the 25· ·opportunity to vote for one of two measures -- ·1· · · · · ·(unknown male adjusts microphone) ·2· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·(inaudible) -- one of two ·3· ·measures:· uh, Initiative Measure No. 65, which was placed ·4· ·on the ballot when over 17,237 registered voters from each ·5· ·of the five congressional districts signed a petition asking ·6· ·that the State Constitution be amended; or Alternative ·7· ·Measure No. 65A, which was placed on the ballot by the ·8· ·Mississippi Legislature as a competing amendment. ·9· · · · · ·Tonight’s hearing, along with the other hearings we 10· ·have hosted around the state, are part of the initiative 11· ·process we refer to as “voter education (inaudible).”· In 12· ·addition to these public hearings, our agency also has 13· ·published an informative brochure that you may have seen on 14· ·the table as you walked in.· And if you haven’t, please ask 15· ·one of our team members to get you one of those brochures 16· ·because it’s loaded with information, and, uh, information 17· ·you can share with your neighbors and your family. I 18· ·encourage you and all Mississippians to educate themselves 19· ·on this issue prior to election day, which is Tuesday, 20· ·November 3rd. 21· · · · · ·In addition to the medical marijuana initiative, we 22· ·also have two other initiatives on your ballot.· Uh, you may 23· ·recall the State flag, uh, is going to be on the ballot. 24· ·The Flag Commission chose a new design to be on the ballot 25· ·on November 3rd, so please take a look at that and make sure ·1· ·that you, uh, pick, if that’s what you want to do, or not, ·2· ·if you don’t.· Uh, and also how we select our statewide ·3· ·elected officials will be on the ballot.· So please take the ·4· ·time to learn those initiatives. ·5· · · · · ·Uh, many of you will probably be staring at my ·6· ·socks tonight.· Let me show you those.· They’re very nice. ·7· ·If you’re jealous of sock game, I want you to see those. ·8· ·But my socks say “trusted information,” and so I want to ·9· ·tell you all make sure that you’re getting your information 10· ·from a trusted source, be it your Circuit Clerk’s Office, be 11· ·it our office, but make sure you’re educated voters.· That’s 12· ·important.· Not just to go vote, but that you take the time 13· ·to do your homework and make sure that your voice is 14· ·properly heard and reflects your opinions as you see fit. 15· ·So please take the time to educate yourself on that. 16· · · · · ·So many of you have heard a great deal on these two 17· ·measures already; for some, this may be your first time 18· ·hearing this information.· But, hopefully, each of you will 19· ·learn something new tonight as the comments are made. 20· · · · · ·Before we get started, there are a few things I 21· ·need to go over.· First, anyone who wishes to make a public 22· ·comment and speak on the record, either for or against 23· ·either measure, is welcome to do so.· Please make sure you 24· ·have signed up to speak.· In the back, there will be one of 25· ·these cards, so if you wanted to speak, make sure you have ·1· ·signed up, uh, and obtained a speaker card from one of our ·2· ·members.· We will recognize each of our speakers, ·3· ·alternating pro and con in order of the way you registered ·4· ·at our check-in table.· So please keep in mind everything ·5· ·that is said tonight will be transcribed and posted to our ·6· ·website for public viewing.· With that being said, please ·7· ·speak slowly and clearly so we have an accurate record to ·8· ·post on our website. ·9· · · · · ·If you do not want to speak, but you want to 10· ·express your opinion, you may submit comments in writing. 11· ·There are also written comment cards in the back.· So, 12· ·again, if you’re not comfortable getting up here to the 13· ·microphone and speaking, uh, you can have your voice heard 14· ·in your comment here.· Uh, those will also be shared on our 15· ·website.· So on the comment card, make sure that you place, 16· ·uh, either for or against Initiative Measure No. 65 or 17· ·Measure No. 65A and, again, we will reflect that on our 18· ·website. 19· · · · · ·Public comments allow you to share your thoughts 20· ·with individuals across the state.· It’s very important that 21· ·we have an informed electorate, so please do not be shy.· Be 22· ·assured that your comments and oral statements are welcome, 23· ·so please know that we want you to engage. 24· · · · · ·The format for tonight is as follows: 25· · · · · ·First we will discuss each initiative measure, ·1· ·beginning with Initiative Measure No. 65 and then ·2· ·Alternative Measure 65A.· You will hear presentations from ·3· ·individuals who are for the initiatives and presentations ·4· ·from individuals who are against the initiatives. ·5· · · · · ·Then, after a very short break, we will open the ·6· ·floor for public comment.· You will be asked to come and ·7· ·speak at the microphone in the order in which you registered ·8· ·at the entrance of the event.· For the safety of you and ·9· ·others, protective covers will be placed on the microphone 10· ·and changed out after each speaker. 11· · · · · ·Every speaker who is registered should have a 12· ·numbered card.· I will call you by name when it’s your turn 13· ·to speak, and please give the card to one of our team 14· ·members in the audience before you begin speaking.· I’ll 15· ·read the name of the individual to speak, and I’ll also read 16· ·the name of the person who is next to speak.· The person who 17· ·is on deck should be standing nearby while keeping a safe 18· ·distance so we can move quickly and efficiently. 19· · · · · ·Each speaker will have a maximum of five minutes, 20· ·uh, to comment, and the lovely Leigh Janous here with us, 21· ·who taught Vanna White everything she knows, uh, will show 22· ·you a 2-minute and then a 30-second warning.· So, Leigh, I 23· ·don’t know if you have those cards with you, but when you 24· ·see those cards, that means your time is winding down, so 25· ·please be respectful of others’ time. ·1· · · · · ·Uh, remember these initiatives are already on the ·2· ·ballot, so your public comment tonight should be about why ·3· ·you’re either for or against the measure. ·4· · · · · ·Lastly, let me remind all of you that voting is a ·5· ·precious right.· So many men and women fought and died both ·6· ·at home and abroad for that right.· We talk about the civil ·7· ·rights era in Mississippi; we talk about this year is the ·8· ·100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment.· So, so many people ·9· ·have fought and died for the right to vote, so please take 10· ·advantage of that.· It’s such a precious right.· We want you 11· ·to show up on November 3rd and cast your ballot. 12· · · · · ·When it comes to the measures you support or 13· ·oppose, casting a ballot is the most important way to make 14· ·your voice heard.· Be sure to exercise your right to vote in 15· ·this 2020 general election. 16· · · · · ·Let me say this before we get started.· We’ve lost 17· ·a sense of civility in America, so I just want to encourage 18· ·you to respect others as they speak.· Let’s make sure we are 19· ·civil and we are friends.· We can -- we can disagree on 20· ·issues and still be friends.· That’s okay.· Uh, but I want 21· ·to make sure that everyone is civil tonight, respect their 22· ·friends here who are, uh, both for and against, and we can 23· ·talk more about that later. 24· · · · · ·But before we get started, I’ve got a few friends 25· ·here I wanted to -- to say hello to and to make sure that ·1· ·everybody knew they were here.· I know, uh, Representative ·2· ·Byrd is in the back, Larry Byrd.· Uh, Larry, good to see ·3· ·you, my friend.· Uh, and then my cousin, uh, Representative ·4· ·Percy Watson.· Percy, good to see you, buddy.· I served some ·5· ·time on the legislature with these guys, and so it’s great ·6· ·to see them out here supporting the community. ·7· · · · · ·Uh, so, next we will have the mayor, who I also ·8· ·served on the legislature with.· Uh, Mayor Toby Barker’s ·9· ·going to come and welcome you and also lead us in the 10· ·Pledge.· So, Mayor? 11· · · · · ·(background) 12· · · · · ·MAYOR BARKER:· · · ·Uh, good evening. I 13· ·(inaudible) spoken, so.· All right. 14· · · · · ·Uh, first of all, thank you for being here tonight. 15· ·I want to especially thank, uh, Secretary Watson for doing 16· ·these panels in and around our state.· And, as he mentioned, 17· ·the political discourse in this country has become so 18· ·hollow, so vitriolic, to have a forum where you can actually 19· ·get good information and express views, um, to each other 20· ·and ask questions, that’s what’s missing right now.· So I 21· ·appreciate you, Secretary Watson, for doing that. 22· · · · · ·I want to thank all of you for wearing your masks 23· ·tonight.· Our numbers here, locally, are -- are a bit 24· ·concerning right now, so we appreciate you doing that. 25· · · · · ·And I welcome you to Hattiesburg if you’re not from ·1· ·around here.· Uh, this is a place we call, uh, where -- ·2· ·where people do -- diverse background comes and shares ·3· ·information and shares each other, and, uh, it’s the ·4· ·Hattiesburg way to be that kind of -- to show that kind of ·5· ·civility, as Secretary Watson mentioned. ·6· · · · · ·I do want to mention that, uh, absentee vote is ·7· ·available right now at both federal courthouses.· If you ·8· ·live on the Lamar County side of the metro area, uh, you can ·9· ·go to 203 North Main Street, in Purvis.· And if you live on 10· ·the Forrest County side, that’s 630 North Main Street, just 11· ·over here. 12· · · · · ·So with that, again, thank you for being here 13· ·tonight.· If you’ll stand with me to say the Pledge. 14· ·Attention, salute, Pledge.· I pledge allegiance to the Flag 15· ·of the United States of America, and to the Republic for 16· ·which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with 17· ·liberty and justice for all. 18· · · · · ·Thank you. 19· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Mayor, thank you for mentioning 20· ·the absentee voting. 21· · · · · ·Let me let you know real quick, uh, absentee voting 22· ·is live.· The deadline for this year is October 31st, at 5 23· ·p.m. if you absentee in person.· If you vote by mail 24· ·absentee, uh, the deadline has to -- the ballot has to be 25· ·postmarked by Election Day, which is November 3rd, and ·1· ·received within five business days after the election.· So ·2· ·just a couple of changes there.· I want to make sure you’re ·3· ·aware of that.· Please -- please get out and vote. ·4· · · · · ·Without further ado, let’s move into our ·5· ·presentations.· So, again, please keep in mind there are no ·6· ·question and answer period to this.· It’s just comments, uh, ·7· ·from our presentation, uh, on the stage here that you will ·8· ·hear, and then our public comments, as well. ·9· · · · · ·So we’re going to begin tonight with Initiative No. 10· ·65.· Speaking for Initiative Measure No. 65 tonight is Angie 11· ·Calhoun. 12· · · · · ·(background) 13· · · · · ·MS. CALHOUN:· · · · Good evening.· I want to share 14· ·with you why I, as a Southern Baptist mother, would support 15· ·medical marijuana. 16· · · · · ·My son, Austin, who is now 24 years old, lived a 17· ·happy and healthy 16 years of the first part of his life. 18· ·Austin was happiest hanging out with his friends; being 19· ·outdoors hunting, fishing, and playing sports; just living 20· ·life and getting ready for his senior year of high school. 21· · · · · ·But at the age of 17, his world and ours was turned 22· ·upside down.· Suddenly, the health of our active teenage son 23· ·was gone.· He began having focal seizures, severe joint 24· ·pain, and chronic nausea and vomiting.· These debilitating 25· ·medical conditions took a toll on my son’s life and body. ·1· ·Austin began losing weight rapidly because almost everything ·2· ·that he ate was expelled from his stomach.· The focal ·3· ·seizures became more frequent, and the pain was so bad that ·4· ·he simply didn’t want to move.· Austin no longer went out ·5· ·with friends, but stayed home lying in bed. ·6· · · · · ·During Austin’s senior year, he saw over 20 doctors ·7· ·and was prescribed 17 prescription medicines to take every ·8· ·day.· He lost about 40 pounds and was too weak to hang out ·9· ·with friends or to go to school anymore.· By this time, my 10· ·son’s body had been ravaged by these debilitating medical 11· ·conditions. 12· · · · · ·I recall one morning walking into his bedroom to 13· ·give him his medicines, and as I paused by his bedside, I 14· ·looked at him lying there and I thought to myself my son 15· ·looks like a skeleton with a sheet over his body.· Not only 16· ·was he underweight, but his body was so weak by this time 17· ·that I sometimes had to push him into doctors’ offices in a 18· ·wheelchair because he no longer had the strength to walk. 19· · · · · ·After trying the 17 prescriptions and seeing over 20· ·20 doctors in about 18 months, we were at a loss as to what 21· ·to do.· Our son looked like he was dying.· I grieved the 22· ·loss of Austin’s health while remaining ever so grateful to 23· ·my Savior Jesus Christ that I still had him with me. 24· · · · · ·One day, I just broke down crying and I asked God 25· ·to please take Austin’s suffering from him and to give it to ·1· ·me.· Please, Lord, just let him be healthy again, I asked. ·2· ·Well, God doesn’t always do what we want and when we want ·3· ·it, but He did show us a path to restoring Austin’s health ·4· ·and quality of life through the use of medical marijuana. ·5· · · · · ·After much prayer and careful consideration, ·6· ·Austin, at the age of 19, made the decision to move to a ·7· ·state with a legal and regulated medical marijuana program. ·8· ·Once he moved, I stayed with him until he was well enough to ·9· ·be on his own.· Once he moved -- during this time, he became 10· ·a legal resident of that state; went to see a doctor who 11· ·recommended medical marijuana; and then received his medical 12· ·marijuana card, which made it possible for him to legally 13· ·purchase medical marijuana at a secure and regulated 14· ·dispensary to treat his seizures, severe joint pain, and 15· ·chronic nausea and vomiting. 16· · · · · ·For Austin, medical marijuana worked.· It subsided 17· ·the effects of those debilitating medical conditions that he 18· ·had.· I remember thinking to myself after he had used 19· ·medical marijuana that this seems like my happy, vibrant son 20· ·again, and that was truly a blessing to me. 21· · · · · ·Austin was able to eventually stop taking all 17 22· ·prescriptions and gained the majority of his weight back. 23· ·His body could keep food down and to receive the nutrition 24· ·that it needed, which allowed his strength to return. 25· ·Austin could now walk and not grow weary.· The seizures and ·1· ·severe pain subsided, as well. ·2· · · · · ·I treasure every moment that we spend together, ·3· ·never taking his health for granted because, even today, ·4· ·without medical marijuana, Austin’s seizures, pain, and ·5· ·vomiting return. ·6· · · · · ·If Mississippians vote for Initiative 65, it would ·7· ·bring my son back home to me and his loved ones.· Austin ·8· ·wants to be back home in his home state and to become a ·9· ·resident of Mississippi, where he can live a happy, vibrant 10· ·life; to be able to work, get married, and have his own 11· ·family.· However, he cannot do that in Mississippi without a 12· ·functioning medical marijuana program. 13· · · · · ·Today, more than 80 percent of Mississippians 14· ·support medical marijuana, but Initiative 65 is the only 15· ·measure on the ballot that guarantees patients, like my son, 16· ·the help they need right away.· It does so by establishing a 17· ·regulated and functioning medical marijuana program.· It 18· ·will be available to qualifying patients with a specific 19· ·list of 22 debilitating medical conditions, including 20· ·epilepsy and chronic pain. 21· · · · · ·Initiative 65 is a plan that puts God in the 22· ·details because details are very important.· Because of this 23· ·thorough plan and the fact that it puts the conversation 24· ·into a doctor’s office rather than a politician’s chambers, 25· ·Initiative 65 was added to the November ballot with more ·1· ·than 228,000 petition signatures from Mississippians who are ·2· ·desperate for another option. ·3· · · · · ·Unfortunately, after Initiative 65 officially ·4· ·qualified, politicians and the State Legislature placed ·5· ·Alternative 65A on the ballot, which offers no guarantees ·6· ·and no plan for accountability.· Instead, 65A was a measure ·7· ·designed by politicians to confuse the issue and keep ·8· ·medical marijuana in limbo for many more years to come. ·9· · · · · ·Alternative 65A is not a functioning program with a 10· ·safe, effective, or immediate plan.· It is the attempt of a 11· ·few politicians to stonewall.· To put it simply, 65A, the 12· ·politicians plan, is no plan at all. 13· · · · · ·As a mother of a child who suffers from 14· ·debilitating medical conditions, this is why I support 15· ·Initiative 65.· I am urging each of you to find compassion 16· ·in your hearts to allow patients with debilitating health 17· ·conditions to be able to use medical marijuana as an 18· ·alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, which can have a 19· ·pleather of side effects. 20· · · · · ·Genesis 1:29 states, “And God said, Behold I have 21· ·given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face 22· ·of the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; 23· ·it shall be food for you.” 24· · · · · ·I believe that God has given us this seed-bearing 25· ·plant to be used as a natural medicine to help our loved ·1· ·ones with debilitating medical conditions. ·2· · · · · ·Medical marijuana is helping patients in 34 other ·3· ·states.· There’s no reason why patients here in Mississippi ·4· ·shouldn’t have that same option.· It’s safe and effective, ·5· ·and no one has ever died from a medical marijuana overdose, ·6· ·but people die every single day from opioids. ·7· · · · · ·Reasonable voters like you can help give our loved ·8· ·ones truly compassionate care for voting Initiative 65 into ·9· ·law.· On November 3rd, I urge you to join the 228,000 10· ·Mississippians who worked to get this measure on the ballot 11· ·and vote for Initiative 65, which will be at the end of your 12· ·ballot. 13· · · · · ·(applause) 14· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Thank you, Ms. Calhoun.· Know 15· ·that we’ll be praying for your son’s continued health. I 16· ·appreciate you having the courage to come speak tonight. 17· · · · · ·Uh, our next speaker is against 65.· And, uh, many 18· ·of you know Ed Langton has been in Hattiesburg for -- for 19· ·quite a long, long time, and I talked to Ed at one of our 20· ·hearings.· For some reason, I always look at him and I just 21· ·think doctor.· Dr. Langton comes to mind.· So, uh, it’s 22· ·funny, my -- my, uh, team put our notes together tonight and 23· ·you got Doctor in front of your name now.· So, uh, Mr. Ed 24· ·Langton, uh, is next. 25· · · · · ·(background) ·1· · · · · ·MR. LANGTON:· · · · All right, thank you very much. ·2· ·And, uh, I wanna tell you that a lot of my friends smoke ·3· ·marijuana, they are for marijuana; and I got a lot of ·4· ·friends that are adamantly against it, have lost children to ·5· ·addiction and so forth.· So we’ve got two sides of this, ·6· ·which is what you’re hearing tonight. ·7· · · · · ·But I wanna to tell you that what happened is these ·8· ·friends, both of them that I spoke with and I showed them ·9· ·what you don’t see in the ballot box, what you don’t see in 10· ·the literature is seven pages of legally very complex 11· ·language that’s going to severely effect our state, and you 12· ·will see that as I go through these slides. 13· · · · · ·You will also hear that 34 other states have done 14· ·this.· Actually, 17 had Constitutional amendment.· Thirty- 15· ·three, 34 states.· But, anyway, what happened there is they 16· ·legally crafted this one to eliminate any problems as far as 17· ·a -- a -- a big marijuana industry being in our state and 18· ·not having any control over it.· You will see that as we go 19· ·through. 20· · · · · ·What I am going to give you is factual data off of 21· ·Amendment 65.· I’m not making any of this up.· Uh, they have 22· ·said about us as being a Trojan Horse for 65A, but nothing 23· ·could be farther from the truth because this Initiative 65 24· ·is the Trojan Horse as you’ll see. 25· · · · · ·Self-supportive, keep the revenue.· They keep all ·1· ·the revenue that they make off of selling the marijuana, and ·2· ·the State doesn’t get any.· You’ll see that. ·3· · · · · ·Um, the survey that’s gone out, 80 percent.· Nobody ·4· ·gets 80 percent unless you save Mom an apple pie, so what’s ·5· ·on the ballot is basically saying why won’t you allow a ·6· ·doctor to certify somebody to get medical marijuana? ·7· · · · · ·So as we go through this, I just wanna tell you ·8· ·that -- that those are a lot of things that’s -- it’s been ·9· ·purposely crafted to make everything medical terms, but you 10· ·talk to any doctor, you’ll see that there are many, many 11· ·medical associations, (inaudible), so forth as we go through 12· ·this that have, uh, read Initiative 65 and said this is not 13· ·-- this is not for Mississippi. 14· · · · · ·So, first of all, you see here that we’ve got -- 15· ·the voters see only 19 words on the ballot.· This is what 16· ·you make a decision off of, “Should Mississippi allow 17· ·qualified patients with debilitating medical conditions as 18· ·certified—” there’s no prescription -- “by Mississippi 19· ·licensed physicians to use medical marijuana.”· But the 20· ·truth is you have a 7-page -- with 25 hundred words very 21· ·complex for the layman to read.· You have to tie one 22· ·paragraph with another, “provided, however,” and so forth 23· ·and so on. 24· · · · · ·Um, this is the, um, State Representative Joel 25· ·Bomgar, who is -- who’s put a lot of money into this, as ·1· ·you’ll see.· He’s in NeWay Capital and Arcview Group, which ·2· ·is an actual venture capital firm for the marijuana ·3· ·business.· So this is big tobacco coming, it’s big ·4· ·marijuana.· He funded it with $2 million out of Hip ·5· ·(phonetic) National Bank.· He’s got, along with out-of-state ·6· ·investors funding, another one million.· Why would out-of- ·7· ·state investors come in and put $1 million into something ·8· ·that’s compassionate care in Mississippi?· It’s for a ·9· ·business proposition.· Over three million spent so far on 10· ·just this. 11· · · · · ·Follow the money.· You’ve got consulting costs that 12· ·signature gathering -- and we’ll get to this signature 13· ·thing, 228,000 signatures -- but they spent $1,181,000 to 14· ·get petitions signed.· That’s extraordinary.· Jamie Grantham 15· ·has been the marketing and communications director.· And 16· ·legal expense, Flatgard, Watkins & Eager, that cost $436,000 17· ·to write seven pages.· So that wasn’t done on an 18· ·(inaudible). Other consultants, so forth. 19· · · · · ·All right, the 228,000 signatures gathered, but 20· ·only 106,190 signatures were actually certified by the 21· ·Circuit Clerks as being eligible to sign the, uh, petition - 22· ·- the initiative.· That’s 3 1/2 percent of the people in the 23· ·entire state of Mississippi, not hardly an overwhelming 24· ·majority. 25· · · · · ·The Constitutional amendment overrides and ·1· ·supersedes state laws and regulations.· No product has ever ·2· ·been placed in the Constitution nor has been exempt from ·3· ·state laws which exist.· This cartel would be untouchable by ·4· ·state laws and regulations.· Changes cannot be made without ·5· ·new citizen initiative placed on the ballot in four more ·6· ·years.· Think about this very seriously, no matter what side ·7· ·you’re on. ·8· · · · · ·State, cities, and counties, municipalities cannot ·9· ·tax or fee anything to do with marijuana.· And that is a 10· ·product that cannot be taxed by a state.· Casinos.· What if 11· ·casinos had gotten a Constitutional amendment and escaped 12· ·any regulation or any tax or anything.· Cigarettes, alcohol, 13· ·gas, all of them provide tax revenue to the State for 14· ·critical needs, such as roads, bridges, education, law 15· ·enforcement, and much, much more.· That’s in Section 6 and 16· ·subpara- and 8, uh, subparagraph 3. 17· · · · · ·In 65, marijuana cartel keeps 100 percent of the 18· ·revenue from marijuana sales.· All revenues must go in a 19· ·special fund to be used only for the sole benefit of the 20· ·marijuana business.· No money -- no money for schools, 21· ·roads, parks, housing, local governments, et cetera.· What 22· ·about the debilitating things that are going to happen to 23· ·our citizens that are gonna fall to law enforcement, mental 24· ·health, and all that come out of the general fund?· We don’t 25· ·have enough money now for roads, bridges, and education. ·1· · · · · ·No special zoning.· Any zoning that’s business or ·2· ·pharmacy or whatever can locate where there’s no zoning in ·3· ·counties.· Most counties do not have any zoning.· A -- a ·4· ·marijuana field can be put right next to your homes, a ·5· ·subdivision, and, um, if you’ve ever talked to anybody ·6· ·that’s been next to a marijuana field, it’s like a whole ·7· ·bevy of, uh, skunks.· The smell of it is pretty bad. ·8· · · · · ·Uh, no limit on the number of marijuana businesses. ·9· ·Sixty-five will override the state law.· State law, they 10· ·always talk about, “Oh, no, we got zoning.· It’s 500 feet.” 11· ·The state law right now says 15 hundred feet from a church 12· ·or school.· So now let’s say existing.· So if you’ve got a 13· ·property that’s (inaudible) or whatever, if you don’t have a 14· ·building located there now and they’ve located 500 feet from 15· ·you, you cannot -- you’re gonna have to move from the edge 16· ·of your property 500 feet before you can build a new 17· ·building.· So that reduces by two-thirds what’s already 18· ·state law. 19· · · · · ·All right, um, no prescription.· That’s -- that’s 20· ·something that everybody -- the news media and everybody 21· ·keeps saying “prescription, taxes.”· It’s not ta- it’s not 22· ·taxes and it’s not prescription.· It is -- medical marijuana 23· ·is called medical marijuana like medical ice cream and 24· ·medical vodka.· It’s a Schedule 1 drug with no accepted 25· ·medical use according to the federal government. ·1· · · · · ·Physicians only certify a person eligible to ·2· ·receive a medical marijuana card.· And let’s get straight ·3· ·here.· All of these medical associations coming out in ·4· ·opposition.· There were only 17 doctors on the steering ·5· ·committee, and that’s not even getting up to 1 percent of ·6· ·doctors in the study. ·7· · · · · ·Debilitating medical conditions.· They talk about ·8· ·22 debilitating medical conditions, but you see y’all ·9· ·highlighted chronic or debilitating pain.· Now chronic or 10· ·debilitating pain, doctors cannot, um, cannot determine the 11· ·pain you have.· That’s why -- that’s why they have this 12· ·chart in hospitals, “Tell me what pain you have.”· So that’s 13· ·the way you get a marijuana card, you have chronic pain. 14· ·And to back that up is the fact that Colorado, 93 percent of 15· ·registered cardholders in Colorado reported severe pain as a 16· ·reason. 17· · · · · ·Children with the consent of their parents. A 18· ·child can get consent of their parents to get a marijuana 19· ·card, going to school with, uh, taking, uh, marijuana. 20· ·Three hundred or greater joints per month, a family of three 21· ·can get 900 joints a month.· You think you can smoke all 22· ·that or sell some of it? 23· · · · · ·(background) 24· · · · · ·MR. LANGTON:· · · · It can be smoked, vaped, taken 25· ·in food or liquid form.· Joints, blunts, gummies, and ·1· ·brownies.· Is that what you want children to have, gummies ·2· ·and brownies?· Do you want people to be smoking joints?· Uh, ·3· ·the THC can be powerful and ruins the cognitive ability of ·4· ·people up to age 25. ·5· · · · · ·Your second amendment right’s most important thing, ·6· ·especially in Mississippi.· Uh, we’ve got the letter from ·7· ·the Department of Justice that says you cannot buy a ·8· ·firearm, possess a firearm or ammunition if, uh, if you have ·9· ·a medical marijuana card.· Uh, there’s the letter from the 10· ·Department of Justice.· It’s posted on our websites. 11· · · · · ·Uh, the Constitutional amendment will not 12· ·criminalize marijuana; this is not a get out of jail card; 13· ·Section A housing may be lost; uh, you won’t want the 11 14· ·appointed health board members being appointed and 15· ·influenced by a marijuana cartel; and the ballot needs to be 16· ·voted at the bottom against and for 65A, if you want to 17· ·protect yourself in case you lose the against vote.· And the 18· ·Secretary of State can tell you that is legit.· They keep 19· ·telling people you can’t vote the second portion.· You can. 20· · · · · ·These are all the subsections, um, that are against 21· ·it right now.· So vote against. 22· · · · · ·Thank you very much for listening, and read the 23· ·amendment -- seven pages -- for yourself.· Thank you. 24· · · · · ·(applause and boos) 25· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Let’s be friends.· Let’s be ·1· ·friends.· (inaudible) ·2· · · · · ·(background) ·3· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Thank you, Doctor. ·4· · · · · ·(background) ·5· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·So if you do have questions ·6· ·about the ballot, specifically, I’ll be around a little bit ·7· ·after here, uh, when we get through with our presentations ·8· ·and the public speakers.· Uh, so if you want to ask a ·9· ·question -- again, specifically about the ballot and the 10· ·operation of the ballot, I’m happy to answer those.· I will 11· ·not take a position, uh, so let’s just be clear on that. 12· ·We’re here to present information, uh, in an unbiased way. 13· ·So, uh, I will tell you how the ballot works, but I will not 14· ·tell you how to vote.· So I just want to get that out there. 15· · · · · ·Now moving to Alternative Measure No. 65A, speaking 16· ·for, the good reverend, Pastor Anthony McCullum. 17· · · · · ·(background) 18· · · · · ·PASTOR McCULLUM:· · Thank you, Secretary Watson, 19· ·for holding this, uh, hearing in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 20· ·We do appreciate that. 21· · · · · ·I was sharing with one of your, uh, I guess, 22· ·employees there, that, uh, I hate that we didn’t get this 23· ·word out to have more people here tonight.· Uh, as you will 24· ·see by the turnout, uh, that, uh, we should’ve definitely 25· ·had a lot more people.· This is a very serious initiative ·1· ·that is being placed before the people of Mississippi and I ·2· ·take it very seriously. ·3· · · · · ·Uh, I am Anthony McCullum, the pastor of Piney ·4· ·Grove Baptist Church, from the great capital of Mississippi, ·5· ·Sheeplo.· I asked someone earlier if they ever heard of ·6· ·Sheeplo and they hadn’t, but it is, uh, it’s a little ·7· ·country outside of here in Petal, Mississippi. ·8· · · · · ·And I only say that to say that, uh, I am touched ·9· ·by Mrs. Calhoun’s story of her -- her son in need of some 10· ·help.· Uh, I, too, uh, have been married, uh, to my wife for 11· ·the past 32 years, and she was diagnosed with MS about 18 12· ·years ago. 13· · · · · ·Uh, I have come from a family that was born in 14· ·California, raised here in Mississippi.· I come from a 15· ·family that I know exactly what drugs are.· I’ve been around 16· ·them all my life. 17· · · · · ·The past 30 years of my life, I spent a lot of time 18· ·in and out the prison system, not because I did something 19· ·wrong, but teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.· For the 20· ·past 30 years, I’ve given my life to trying to see young men 21· ·get their life changed, and I’ve been doing it because I 22· ·looked up and it was many people going to volunteer, but 23· ·none that looked like me.· Uh, 80 percent of the young men 24· ·down at the Leakesville facility, where there’s 32 hundred 25· ·of them, look just like me, and the majority of the people ·1· ·that was going there to share the good Gospel looked more ·2· ·like the doctor, uh, and there was a communication breakage, ·3· ·so I got involved to do that. ·4· · · · · ·But one of the things I did in getting involved was ·5· ·trying to figure out how’d they get there; how’d they find ·6· ·their way there?· And most of them found their way there ·7· ·because they started with some type of recreational use of ·8· ·something, whether it’s alcohol, marijuana, or what so have ·9· ·you. 10· · · · · ·So I am totally against the use of recreational 11· ·uses of -- of marijuana and any other drug that can alter a 12· ·person’s mind.· And I’ve been like that all my life, and I 13· ·will continue to be like that, and I will be voting against 14· ·Measure 65, uh, and 65A. 15· · · · · ·I’m here tonight to show support of 65A because I 16· ·am concerned about those people who have debilitating 17· ·diseases, such as your son.· My wife, for the past 18 years 18· ·having MS, uh, we’ve looked up and we have been trying to 19· ·get something to help her.· There was nothing that could 20· ·help her until we somehow or another -- uh, is this being 21· ·recorded? 22· · · · · ·UNKNOWN FEMALE:· · ·Mm-hmm. 23· · · · · ·PASTOR McCULLUM:· · Make sure.· I don’t wanna go to 24· ·jail for saying the wrong thing up here. 25· · · · · ·Uh, we had to get her some help in Mississippi and ·1· ·one of the things that helped my wife was THC, okay?· I know ·2· ·it helps people.· I know it helps people. ·3· · · · · ·My concern with the legislation that is written in ·4· ·65 and 65A is the way it’s written and the way that it does ·5· ·not benefit our state in the whole way. ·6· · · · · ·There is no such thing as medical marijuana. ·7· ·That’s why this really should be an argument that goes to ·8· ·our federal, uh, level, where it needs to be taken out of a ·9· ·Schedule 1 drug on the federal level and great research to 10· ·be done to see the benefits.· And I know, personally, that 11· ·it can benefit people who have debilitating disease.· That’s 12· ·why even though I will be voting against 65, 65A, I will be 13· ·checking in the box 65A for the purpose of having some type 14· ·of legislation and oversight of what will be taking place. 15· · · · · ·When you look at 65 -- and I’ve read it and read it 16· ·and read it and read it -- and you look at 65 and there’s no 17· ·tax in there, just a 7 percent fee, that does mean that the 18· ·State of Mississippi won’t receive any of those funds for 19· ·the basic things that most lying politicians tell us, roads, 20· ·bridges, and all this other stuff.· We all know that’s a big 21· ·lie, right?· They tell us that’s what it’s going to be used 22· ·for, education.· It seems like it never gets to education. 23· · · · · ·But if we’re gonna do this -- 65 -- if we’re gonna 24· ·-- and I do believe it’s going to be legalized, okay? I 25· ·just want it to be done in a way where the people who ·1· ·actually need it can actually get the help that’s really ·2· ·needed.· So I do think there’s need to be a joint venture ·3· ·between legislation and the manufacturers to make sure it is ·4· ·a product that is well thought of and well-studied, and if ·5· ·the chemists get behind it and make sure it’s not just ·6· ·something off the street that anybody can get. ·7· · · · · ·I’m also concerned with the total legislation ·8· ·because when I look at it, you can get someone who gets the ·9· ·card and get almost 300, uh, joints a month.· That’s a lot 10· ·of weed.· So what happens in my community?· And I’m speaking 11· ·personally.· I had a lot of notes here I was gonna read, but 12· ·I’m going to make it personal.· What happens in my 13· ·community?· What happens in a community that’s already 14· ·struggling with drug issues and -- and -- and alcohol issues 15· ·and (inaudible) issue. 16· · · · · ·What happens to -- to that community is that you 17· ·would get sister so-and-so, who gets now access to this 18· ·marijuana, and she’s only needing probably about one joint a 19· ·day to satisfy her.· Well if she uses one joint, that leaves 20· ·her 270 joints left.· What’s gonna happen with that 270 21· ·joints that she’s got?· It’s gonna turn into profit for 22· ·somebody.· Somebody’s gonna take that; they’re going to use 23· ·that; and that’s gonna be more access, in my opinion, to 24· ·marijuana within the communities that don’t need it.· If you 25· ·look around here tonight, my community is not represented ·1· ·very well.· That concerns me because I know that’s exactly ·2· ·what’s gonna happen. ·3· · · · · ·When I look at this internal writing of this ·4· ·legislation, it’s gonna be more of the rich getting richer ·5· ·off of people who are desperately needing to get out of the ·6· ·drug business and out of anything that deals with marijuana. ·7· · · · · ·Yes, I would love for it to be used for those ·8· ·people who need it for medical reasons, but it needs to be ·9· ·done in a legislative and corrective way and with doctors 10· ·and legislation working hand in hand.· I believe that’s the 11· ·way it needs to be done, and it’s a shame that our 12· ·legislation hasn’t done the job to make that happen.· Shame 13· ·on them.· I applaud the people who went out and got 228,000 14· ·or 106 who -- who are legal vote.· I applaud them for doing 15· ·that, and it’s a shame that the legislation added something 16· ·to that.· I get that. 17· · · · · ·But at the end of the day, this is not the right 18· ·way to have this done for the State of Mississippi.· It is 19· ·not going to benefit the people who we’re saying it’s gonna 20· ·benefit.· This is gonna be a money maker for some people and 21· ·there’s gonna be some people that’s gonna have an 22· ·influctuation [sic] of marijuana in their communities. I 23· ·don’t need the influctuation [sic] in my community, and 24· ·that’s why I’m voting against it. 25· · · · · ·But I will vote for 65A for the people to have some ·1· ·type of legislation, adding and working together with the ·2· ·doctors to make this where it will be somewhat reasonable. ·3· ·I don’t think 65 gives that.· I think 65 gives it right back ·4· ·to a big, uh, as, uh, Dr., uh, Langton said, a big cartel. ·5· ·I don’t want to see that in Mississippi.· I don’t need that ·6· ·in Mississippi.· I love Mississippi, and I want it to be ·7· ·done in a very responsible way.· And I think the responsible ·8· ·way to do it, if it comes to pass, is to have 65A being a ·9· ·part of it. 10· · · · · ·And I heard, uh, earlier that they say 65, the 11· ·legislators don’t have a plan to make it happen.· That’s 12· ·probably a good thing that they don’t have a plan because 13· ·maybe they can get with the other side and it works 14· ·together.· I know that sounds far-fetched, I know that 15· ·sounds Utopian, that people could actually work together to 16· ·make things happen, but I’m pretty optimistic that we still 17· ·are human people in America, where we can do what’s right 18· ·for our state.· And to do what’s right for our state is to 19· ·vote no and then vote 65A.· You can legally do that, and you 20· ·can rightfully do that, and your vote will not be 21· ·delegitimagi- dele- de- what you call it, illegit? 22· · · · · ·(background) 23· · · · · ·PASTOR McCULLUM:· · Illegit to quit.· You can do 24· ·that.· You can do 65 no, and then vote for 65A, and I 25· ·encourage you to do that.· For those of you who are ·1· ·watching, wherever you are, vote against 65 and 65A, and ·2· ·then vote for 65A. ·3· · · · · ·God bless you. ·4· · · · · ·(applause and boos) ·5· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Let me remind you, uh, of my ·6· ·civility request, respecting our friends and differing ·7· ·opinions.· Uh, again, that’s most important to our country ·8· ·and, especially, in these times.· We don’t have to agree all ·9· ·the time.· And, again, that’s never gonna happen.· But as 10· ·long as people can respect each other and, as the good 11· ·Reverend mentioned, work together, uh, to bridge those gaps, 12· ·uh, I think it’s a good day for Mississippi and a good day 13· ·for the future of our country. 14· · · · · ·Uh, Reverend, if you would, I would love to come to 15· ·Sheeplo.· Uh, I’ve never been, so, uh, I’m looking forward 16· ·to that visit. 17· · · · · ·PASTOR McCULLUM:· · Yes, sir. 18· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Uh, my daddy is a pastor, and 19· ·so, uh, I was a good one -- a good (inaudible).· Um, but I - 20· ·- I would love to come visit and meet your church. 21· · · · · ·PASTOR McCULLUM:· · (inaudible) 22· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·That’s -- that’s right.· We’ll 23· ·do it. 24· · · · · ·So, uh, next, speaking against, it’s Ms. Jamie 25· ·Grantham.· And we’ve become friends on this road trip, so, ·1· ·uh, Jamie, if you would.· Speaking against 65A. ·2· · · · · ·(background) ·3· · · · · ·MS. GRANTHAM:· · · ·Hi, I’m Jamie Grantham. I ·4· ·represent physicians and other steering committee members ·5· ·who support Initiative 65.· I’m here to talk to you tonight ·6· ·about the Trojan Horse that our Mississippi Legislature ·7· ·placed on the ballot called 65A.· Alternative 65A is the ·8· ·legislative alternative to Initiative 65 for medical ·9· ·marijuana that was placed on the ballot by more than 228,000 10· ·Mississippians. 11· · · · · ·I’d like to talk about history tonight for a few 12· ·minutes, and then I’m going to end by asking you a question. 13· · · · · ·Here is the history.· The Legislature has had more 14· ·than 20 years to pass a medical marijuana program to help 15· ·some of the sickest patients in our state, but they have 16· ·never done that.· Over the last decade, there have been more 17· ·than 20 -- more than 20 proposed bills for medical 18· ·marijuana, and they have blocked every single one of those 19· ·bills.· Not one of those bills made it to the floor for a 20· ·vote. 21· · · · · ·In 2014, Harper Grace’s Law was passed.· Harper 22· ·Grace’s mom worked with the Legislature to get that law 23· ·passed so that her daughter, who was two years old at the 24· ·time and suffers from a rare seizure disorder, could have 25· ·access to CBD oil to help with her seizures. ·1· · · · · ·The law was written so poorly and there were so ·2· ·many restrictions and so much red tape that even though it ·3· ·passed in 2014, it wasn’t until the end of 2018, which was ·4· ·nearly five years later, that they started a pilot program ·5· ·with less than a dozen patients. Harper Grace was not even ·6· ·selected to be one of those dozen patients.· Harper was two ·7· ·years old when that law passed in 2014.· It is now almost ·8· ·2021 and she has never received one drop of medicine from ·9· ·the law that was named after her. 10· · · · · ·It was Harper Grace’s mom, Ashley Durval, who filed 11· ·Initiative 65 with the Secretary of State to allow medical 12· ·marijuana for not only her daughter, Harper Grace, but for 13· ·many other Mississippians who suffer from conditions like 14· ·cancer, chronic pain, ALS, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s 15· ·disease, Sickle Cell, Muscular Dystrophy, and let’s not 16· ·forget our veterans, many of whom who came back from -- come 17· ·back from serving our country and suffer from PTSD.· There 18· ·are 22 listed conditions in Initiative 65, and 65 allows 19· ·physicians to certify for other conditions of the same kind 20· ·or class.· Physicians requested this so that they can use 21· ·their professional judgement if they believe a patient with 22· ·a similar condition could be helped by medical marijuana. 23· · · · · ·Even though medical marijuana is helping patients 24· ·in 34 other states, our Legislature has continually sent a 25· ·very clear message to patients here in Mississippi, and they ·1· ·did it again when they put 65A on the ballot. ·2· · · · · ·For anyone who is unfamiliar with Mississippi’s ·3· ·Initiative Law, it exists as a legal way for voters to amend ·4· ·our Constitution for important issues not addressed by our ·5· ·state Legislature.· It requires a certain number of ·6· ·signatures from across the state on petitions. ·7· · · · · ·There are many requirements to qualify an ·8· ·initiative for the ballot.· It is time-consuming and it is ·9· ·costly, and God has blessed these efforts and provided every 10· ·step of the way since we began this process in 2018. 11· · · · · ·For an initiative to pass, it requires a certain 12· ·threshold of votes.· At least 40 percent of everyone who 13· ·votes in the general election must vote on this issue.· And 14· ·of those votes, 50 percent plus one, a simple majority, is 15· ·required to pass. 16· · · · · ·If an initiative does make it on to the ballot, the 17· ·Initiative Law allows the legislator -- Leg- Legislature to 18· ·place a competing measure on the ballot if they don’t like 19· ·the citizens’ initiative.· That is what 65A is.· When they 20· ·put 65A on the ballot, they robbed voters of a fair up or 21· ·down vote in an effort to split the vote so that neither 22· ·measure meets that required threshold to pass.· It is a 23· ·backdoor kill measure.· It is another attempt to block 24· ·medical marijuana. 25· · · · · ·Thanks to 65A, instead of a simple yes or no ·1· ·question, there are now two questions on the ballot that ·2· ·must be answered, and voters have to choose between two ·3· ·measures, 65 and 65A.· But there is only one true option on ·4· ·the ballot for medical marijuana and that is Initiative 65. ·5· · · · · ·Sixty-five A is a vague measure thrown together by ·6· ·politicians after Initiative 65 qualified.· It has zero ·7· ·guarantees.· It does not have a start date.· It does not ·8· ·have a caregiver clause, which means that children and ·9· ·disabled and homebound patients would be excluded.· It does 10· ·not have a list of medical conditions.· In fact, there is 11· ·nothing in 65A that requires the Legislature to ever put a 12· ·program together or states how it would even function, so 13· ·all of the patients who are protected under Initiative 65 14· ·are left to the Legislature’s mercy under 65A. 15· · · · · ·Please read the measures.· With 65, you know 16· ·exactly what you are voting for.· It’s about five pages that 17· ·outlines a clear framework, and it allows for a conservative 18· ·free market approach, which allows the market to inform the 19· ·supply and demand for patient access. 20· · · · · ·In other states, about 2 to 3 percent of the 21· ·population become medical marijuana patients.· That is not 22· ·enough supply and demand for a pot shop on every corner, as 23· ·opponents like to say. 24· · · · · ·Opponents will say, “Don’t put this in the 25· ·Constitution because policy should be made in the ·1· ·Legislature.”· Well, we all would have loved for the ·2· ·Legislature to create a program to truly help patients, but ·3· ·at this point, that ship has sailed.· Case in point, our ·4· ·history lesson.· Opponents will say, “There is no such thing ·5· ·as medical marijuana, and we need to study it more.”· Well, ·6· ·it has been being studied right here in Mississippi since ·7· ·the 1960’s, and doctors and patients alike, along with much ·8· ·medical data and research, say that it is undeniably ·9· ·offering a better quality of life in relieving symptoms like 10· ·nausea, chronic pain, seizures, and tremors.· So how much 11· ·longer do people here in Mississippi need to wait?· Another 12· ·60 years?· Would that -- would that be enough? 13· · · · · ·Opponents will try to talk about medical marijuana 14· ·as if it’s recreational marijuana and talk about pot shops 15· ·and that we should tax patients’ medicine.· They even have 16· ·been saying that under Initiative 65, medical marijuana 17· ·businesses won’t be subject to zoning restrictions and won’t 18· ·have to pay taxes and are getting some sort of deal for big 19· ·marijuana.· They are saying a lot of things, some of which 20· ·you’ve heard tonight.· None of that is based in truth.· Do 21· ·your research.· Reach out to us if you have a question about 22· ·how medical marijuana programs work, the restrictions at the 23· ·federal level, the way anything in Initiative 65 is written. 24· ·We are here to help and happy to answer questions. 25· · · · · ·Here is the bottom line.· Sixty-five met every ·1· ·requirement and made it on to the ballot.· Sixty-five was ·2· ·researched and written based on the experiences and best ·3· ·practices of other conservative states.· Doctors and law ·4· ·enforcement, regulators, and patients were involved in ·5· ·drafting 65.· Sixty-five is self-funded and does not require ·6· ·one dime of taxpayer money.· Sixty-five is about patients ·7· ·and doctors, not politicians.· Sixty-five is compassionate ·8· ·and it is for Harper Grace and other patients like her who ·9· ·are desperate for another option. 10· · · · · ·There are patients for whom traditional medications 11· ·are not working.· Medical marijuana is safe and it is 12· ·effective, and no one has ever died from medical marijuana. 13· ·But people are dying daily from opioids.· Medical marijuana 14· ·offers hope and quality of life to so many in other states, 15· ·and there is no reason why patients here should have to wait 16· ·any longer. 17· · · · · ·Eighty-one percent of Mississippians support 18· ·medical marijuana for patients who are suffering. 19· · · · · ·I told you at the beginning that I would end with a 20· ·question.· Here is my question.· Based on our history lesson 21· ·of the repeated failures over the years by our Legislature, 22· ·do you trust the Legislature to help these patients and 23· ·create a functioning, well-researched program?· And I’m not 24· ·talking about a little pilot program for a handful of 25· ·patients.· I am talking about the families across our state ·1· ·who are experiencing pain and suffering.· This is an ·2· ·opportunity to make a difference, to be life-giving, to help ·3· ·people, and that is what this boils down to. ·4· · · · · ·Even if you would prefer not to alter the ·5· ·Constitution, I ask you to think at this point about what ·6· ·other options there are.· And if it were your child seizing ·7· ·uncontrollably and you had no way to help them and ·8· ·medications were not working, or if it were your parent or ·9· ·loved one or yourself suffering from nausea or pain from 10· ·cancer and chemotherapy treatments, or if it were your 11· ·father or brother suffering from PTSD.· This is not a 12· ·political issue.· This is a compassion issue, and this is a 13· ·medical issue.· God made this plant to help people.· This 14· ·should be between patients and doctors. 15· · · · · ·Vote for 65, not 65A.· Be sure to answer both 16· ·questions on the ballot.· They both have to pass that 17· ·required threshold. 18· · · · · ·If you have questions, please reach out to us at 19· ·MedicalMarijuana2020.com.· We will be happy to explain 20· ·medical marijuana programs; the differences in our program; 21· ·how they function; restrictions at the federal level; the 22· ·differences in 65 and 65A; and any other questions that you 23· ·may have. 24· · · · · ·Thank you for your time and for being here tonight. 25· · · · · ·(applause) ·1· · · · · ·(background) ·2· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Thank you, Jamie, again.· And ·3· ·thank you to each of our panels tonight.· Uh, you didn’t ·4· ·have to do this.· You don’t have to be here. ·5· · · · · ·Uh, so, you know, depending, obviously, on your ·6· ·views, you may agree or disagree with them, but we should ·7· ·all thank them and respect them enough to at least know that ·8· ·they care and want to come and educate Mississippians about ·9· ·their viewpoints.· So, again, thank you for taking the time 10· ·out of your schedules to be here. 11· · · · · ·So I do encourage you to do your research.· Uh, 12· ·it’s a very important piece.· Again, I want as many 13· ·Mississippians to come out and vote as possible.· But I also 14· ·want them to take the time to educate themselves to make 15· ·sure they’re making the right decisions for Mississippi’s 16· ·future.· This is a big issue, so I do encourage you to take 17· ·the time, uh, and be prepared when you go to the ballot box. 18· · · · · ·We’re going to take just a few minute break real 19· ·quick to get our speakers lined up.· So if you have signed 20· ·up to speak, if you would start coming towards the 21· ·microphone area.· We’re going to be calling you, uh, by 22· ·name, by -- by listed as you signed up.· And, again, we’ll 23· ·announce you shortly. 24· · · · · ·So, our panelists, you can leave the -- the 25· ·platform if you would like and join us off the stage area. ·1· · · · · ·Let me say real quickly, I saw friends -- the, uh, ·2· ·our troopers -- our Highway Patrol showed up.· So, ·3· ·gentlemen, thank you for being here.· Thank you for all that ·4· ·you do for us in Mississippi.· Not just tonight, but for ·5· ·protecting our families, and I really appreciate all that ·6· ·you do. ·7· · · · · ·So let’s take a quick break. ·8· · · · · ·(applause) ·9· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·-- speak clearly and talk slow 10· ·enough for everyone to understand.· The comments will be 11· ·transcribed and placed on our website for public viewing. 12· ·Uh, and as a -- a former attorney, our court reporter 13· ·obviously appreciates you speaking clearly, uh, because this 14· ·is going to be transcribed again for a record.· Uh, so make 15· ·sure you take the time to speak clearly and slowly so we can 16· ·all hear you. 17· · · · · ·And, again, uh, the civility piece, I can’t 18· ·overemphasize that enough.· Uh, let’s make sure we -- we 19· ·don’t boo or clap or yell or scream or holler (inaudible). 20· ·Let’s -- let’s be friendly and respect our neighbors. 21· · · · · ·So our first speaker tonight will be for 65, and it 22· ·is Mr. David Singletary. 23· · · · · ·(background) 24· · · · · ·MR. SINGLETARY:· · ·Thank you for having the 25· ·hearing, Mr. Secretary Watson.· It’s a pleasure to be here ·1· ·tonight and speak before you people. ·2· · · · · ·UNKNOWN MALE:· · · ·I don’t believe that’s working. ·3· · · · · ·MR. SINGLETARY:· · ·I can talk without it. ·4· · · · · ·(background) ·5· · · · · ·(Mr. Singletary adjusts microphone) ·6· · · · · ·MR. SINGLETARY:· · ·I hope they don’t dock me for ·7· ·this.· Check, check, check, check.· Check, check, check, ·8· ·check. ·9· · · · · ·Thank you for having us tonight, uh, Secretary 10· ·Watson.· I would like to talk -- I only have five minutes 11· ·and I have a lot to cover. 12· · · · · ·Uh, Joel Bomgar is a millionaire and he is behind 13· ·B.I. 65.· Stephen Lee LaFrance, Jr., of Little Rock, 14· ·Arkansas, he’s a billionaire and he’s behind B.I. 65A.· He 15· ·has paid Trey Lamar, the representative of Senatobia, 16· ·Mississippi, Tate County, uh, money to, uh, intentionally, 17· ·uh, to list B.I. 65A just to cause confusion in the public. 18· · · · · ·Yes, the war on drugs was created to suppress 19· ·minorities.· We have jailfuls [sic] today.· You heard the 20· ·preacher man talking about going to the jails and visiting 21· ·the young, black men, who’s life has been destroyed by the 22· ·war on drugs.· I know one individual case right now, her 23· ·husband’s in jail and she’s left out in the street with two 24· ·kids to struggle.· So, yes, we’ve got max incarceration 25· ·caused by this war on drugs.· This B.I. 65 is just a smidgen ·1· ·of the tip of the iceberg on this problem that we’ve ·2· ·perpetuating on ourselves. ·3· · · · · ·For over 100 years, the war on drugs don’t [sic] ·4· ·work.· Hasn’t worked.· My grandfather got shot and killed in ·5· ·1931.· He was a federal ATF agent.· He got shot over alcohol ·6· ·by two bootleggers.· Murdered.· It didn’t work then, it ·7· ·ain’t working now. ·8· · · · · ·How many more law enforcement lives has to be lost ·9· ·before this war is declared.· I mean, let’s just raise the 10· ·white flag.· Let’s just declare a truce today on the war on 11· ·drugs; stop the killing; stop creating the gangs; stop 12· ·creating the animals, like El Chapo and like, uh, Escobar, 13· ·down there in Columbia.· Just stop it.· It’s insanity to 14· ·keep putting the same ingredients into the same recipe and 15· ·expecting a different outcome.· And, there again, is where 16· ·we find ourselves today, people. 17· · · · · ·I’m sorry you painted yourself in a corner you 18· ·can’t get out of, and we need to call a cru- a truce to this 19· ·war, and we need to raise a white flag, and we need to take 20· ·all our wisdom and knowledge that we have gained over the 21· ·past hundred years and put it into practice. 22· · · · · ·So, I mean, the medical initiative was never 23· ·designed to create revenues for the state.· The medical 24· ·Initiative 65 was just designed to fund the, uh, source. 25· ·You know, to create the medical premise and all for the ·1· ·people.· So, I mean, if you want revenue for the state, ·2· ·well, you legalize recreational marijuana right now, like ·3· ·the other 14 states in the country.· We’re talking about 34 ·4· ·states on the medical. ·5· · · · · ·I mean, back in Nixon’s day, you know that the ·6· ·government were lying to you because Richard Nixon was ·7· ·impeached for lying.· So what can I say?· The government -- ·8· ·two minutes left -- the government lied to you.· I mean, I’m ·9· ·sorry if you don’t believe your elected leaders.· Well, 10· ·yeah, I mean, that’s one -- one reason President Trump’s 11· ·sister, who is a federal judge, she don’t like her own 12· ·brother, President Trump, because he’s constantly lying 13· ·about stuff -- or expanding on the truth. 14· · · · · ·So the medical 65 funds itself.· You did not create 15· ·that instrument for additional revenue.· Any additional 16· ·revenue, as far as I know, stays with the Health Department 17· ·-- the State Board of Health.· You got eight county rural 18· ·hospitals that are closed.· You could use that additional 19· ·money to fund them hospitals.· You could use the additional 20· ·money you collect from the 7 percent sales tax on the 21· ·medical cannabis to expand your Obamacare you keep 22· ·complaining about that you need the money to expand it. 23· · · · · ·So, um, stop all this fear mongering.· Past hundred 24· ·years, war on drugs, all they do is -- is, uh, create fear 25· ·within the public.· It seems like the politicians thrive on ·1· ·fear today.· To get voted into office, I mean, they make you ·2· ·scared that if the Democrats get elected, we’re all going to ·3· ·hell in a handbasket, and if the Republicans stay in office, ·4· ·we’re gonna be under dictatorial control.· But, anyway, yes, ·5· ·Mississippi is poverty-stricken.· Mississippi does need a ·6· ·medical marijuana program. ·7· · · · · ·I’m over 60 years old; I don’t have to be babysat ·8· ·with my -- by my government.· I’m a chronic pain sufferer. ·9· ·I just had my right hip done; I’m fixing to have my left hip 10· ·done; and then I got to get my shoulder done; and then I got 11· ·to get my knee done; and then I got to get my ankle done; 12· ·and then I got to hope I don’t die of cancer in the process 13· ·because y’all won’t legalize marijuana in Mississippi that 14· ·needs it the most. 15· · · · · ·If you’re gonna vote, vote for 65.· It lays the 16· ·fame- framework for a program.· The other, 65A, doesn’t even 17· ·have a start date.· If I was depending on the legislator 18· ·[sic], I wouldn’t last very long because they’re the ones 19· ·that made Mississippi last my whole life, and it seems to be 20· ·a systematic problem that the state give a shit level. 21· · · · · ·Thank you very much. 22· · · · · ·(applause) 23· · · · · ·(background) 24· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Our next speaker will be Dr. 25· ·David Allen, speaking for Initiative 65, and following him ·1· ·will be Mr. John O’Hara, uh, for 65, as well. ·2· · · · · ·DR. ALLEN:· · · · · Hello, my name is Dr. David ·3· ·Allen.· I’m a retired heart surgeon and, um, I’m board ·4· ·certified in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery and board ·5· ·certified in general surgery.· I’m a member of the ·6· ·International Cannabinoid Research Society, and I consider ·7· ·myself a professor of the Science of the Endocannabinoid ·8· ·Signaling System. ·9· · · · · ·Um, this subject of cannabis is a really complex 10· ·subject and has a lot of different avenues of, uh, uh, 11· ·science and law.· And no one human knows all the science 12· ·about this.· So people that are in, uh, law enforcement, 13· ·they travel in law enforcement circles and they know law 14· ·enforcement stuff about cannabis, most war -- uh, drug war 15· ·propaganda.· And people, uh, that travel in cannabis circles 16· ·know different information because they see- seek out 17· ·information. 18· · · · · ·So tonight somebody said that there’s no such thing 19· ·as medical, uh, marijuana, and that is the -- one of the 20· ·worst lies that’s ever been told.· Um, and all you have to 21· ·do is just research just a little bit on yourself and you 22· ·can prove cannabis efficacy.· So if you want to, uh, do some 23· ·research, look up CBD, THC, or cannabinoids, and pair them 24· ·against diabetes and, uh, you’ll find out that -- that, uh, 25· ·people who have used cannabis for 20 years or more, that the ·1· ·incidents of diabetes is 66 percent less.· Your doctor can’t ·2· ·give you anything that decreases that by 2 percent. ·3· · · · · ·The U.S. Patent 6,630,507 proves that, uh, CBD ·4· ·decreases the size of a stroke by 50 percent.· Your doctor ·5· ·can’t give you anything that decreases a stroke by 2 ·6· ·percent.· This is a miracle.· It’s a U.S. patent that came ·7· ·out in 2003.· Every human that died from a stroke since 2003 ·8· ·is a victim of the drug war. ·9· · · · · ·Um, if you look up cannabinoids and, um, cytokine 10· ·storm or, um, uh, septic shock, you’ll find out that, uh, 11· ·cannabinoids decrease septic shock and, uh, cytokine storm, 12· ·and may be a treatment for Ebola or Covid. 13· · · · · ·I wrote an article about cannabinoids and the 14· ·treatment of Ebola.· Governor Gary Johnson picked it up and 15· ·mentioned it.· The pot haters hated it; the pot lovers loved 16· ·it.· It’s based on science.· Again, disprove it.· And my 17· ·article was reprinted in seven languages. 18· · · · · ·I also did a study where I called 157 medical 19· ·schools in the United States and asked them if they had a 20· ·director and a department of the ECS; if they taught the ECS 21· ·as a standardized course; uh, or, uh, uh, or if they had 22· ·even any ancillary classes that mentioned it, and no -- only 23· ·13 percent of American medical schools even mentioned the 24· ·endocannabinoid signaling system.· And, so, being a doctor 25· ·and not knowing about a master control system that controls ·1· ·all physiology, cell division, and cell differentiation, ·2· ·it’s ridiculous to call yourself a doctor and not know this ·3· ·stuff. ·4· · · · · ·So these people that come up here and speak about - ·5· ·- negatively about cannabis, they have a small view of ·6· ·cannabis.· They don’t know anything about this science, and ·7· ·so I encourage people to look up the science. ·8· · · · · ·Now I would like also to mention that I believe ·9· ·that 65A is a fraudulent, uh, proposition.· Uh, the people 10· ·got together and, uh, put together 65; they had money that 11· ·they bought; they had 250,000 people signed it; and they 12· ·have, uh, losses if 65 loses.· They admitted on stage today 13· ·that you can vote no for both or vote for 65A, which would 14· ·have the same effect, and virtually you can have two chances 15· ·to vote against 65, um, by doing that.· So I think 65 is a 16· ·fraudulent initiative and somebody -- somebody should go to 17· ·jail for -- for 65A. 18· · · · · ·So, uh, in -- in closing, uh, cannabis will help 19· ·your family.· If you study about the endocannabinoid 20· ·signaling system, you will be able to save lives in your own 21· ·family. 22· · · · · ·God said that -- that you should not judge people 23· ·using herbs.· Romans 14:3, if you don’t believe it.· So, uh, 24· ·if you believe in God; if you believe that God put these 25· ·herbs on for man to use, there is a lot of science that ·1· ·shows that it’s efficacious. ·2· · · · · ·Thank you. ·3· · · · · ·(applause) ·4· · · · · ·(background) ·5· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Thank you, Dr. Allen.· Next ·6· ·we’ll have Mr. John O’Hara, for 65, followed by Dr. Mark ·7· ·Horne, who will be against 65. ·8· · · · · ·(background) ·9· · · · · ·MR. O’HARA:· · · · ·I have, uh, no prepared 10· ·comments.· I do, uh, want to say it’s my first meeting, uh, 11· ·of any type outside of my collection of several signatures - 12· ·- several hundred signatures, maybe, thousands -- down in 13· ·Ocean Springs and, uh, and along the Gulf Coast, where I now 14· ·live.· I am from, uh, from -- not from Mississippi, but I 15· ·consider myself a Mississippian now after 17 years of being 16· ·here. 17· · · · · ·I, uh, I would just preface that I -- I agree with 18· ·Angie and I agree with Jamie on almost everything that they 19· ·said.· I’ve never heard those speeches.· But the reason I do 20· ·is because I don’t have a political answer here.· All I have 21· ·is a medical answer.· And I’m not a doctor, but I’ve seen it 22· ·work. 23· · · · · ·I go way back to my exposure around the world in my 24· ·26 years in the United States Army.· I, uh, stationed in 25· ·Vietnam; stationed, uh, in Desert Storm; been in Europe, ·1· ·Southeast Asia; been in the real Asia; been in Saudi Arabia, ·2· ·all kinds of other places.· I’ve seen pain, and that is what ·3· ·I’m talking about.· I’m here to talk about pain.· And the ·4· ·interpretation of what 65A and 65 is, and what this -- all ·5· ·these things that have to be wrong with you for a doctor to ·6· ·approve medical marijuana, that’s all a bunch of gibberish ·7· ·to me because you have to explain, just like the good doctor ·8· ·said, that medical marijuana works in different categories ·9· ·of different (inaudible). 10· · · · · ·I took my sister-in-law, who is a, uh, has MS, in 11· ·Illinois, where I’m from, I took her to the medical 12· ·marijuana clinic.· They just opened it up several years ago. 13· ·Now they have recreational.· She had no idea; I had no idea. 14· ·All I knew is that she was in terrible pain and she, uh, was 15· ·losing control of a lot of things. 16· · · · · ·So I went through the steps of getting my own 17· ·marijuana card because we got her her marijuana card.· And 18· ·me being a veteran, I could use my VA records, which show 19· ·all the surgeries I’ve had in my 26 years of service.· I was 20· ·a helicopter pilot; uh, I was a banged up a little bit here 21· ·and there; I’ve had a lot of pain.· But you know what? 22· ·Marijuana is a proven factor to take the place of opioids. 23· · · · · ·(background) 24· · · · · ·MR. O’HARA:· · · · ·Prove it.· I’m standing here to 25· ·show you that.· Twenty-six years in the Army, two surgeries; ·1· ·I’ve had three surgeries since then.· And I was on opioids ·2· ·prescribed by the VA for 10 years at four 10’s a day.· And ·3· ·anybody that knows anything about opioids knows four 10’s a ·4· ·day is a lot of stuff. I started drinking.· I’m a retired ·5· ·Colonel, and my life was being shattered with this pain, and ·6· ·I couldn’t do anything about it. ·7· · · · · ·So, you know what?· Five years ago, the VA doctor ·8· ·said, “John, we’ve detected marijuana in your bloodstream. ·9· ·We can’t give you those four 10’s anymore.· We can’t give 10· ·you any of that stuff anymore.”· I said, “I think you just 11· ·saved my life.”· I haven’t had an opioid since.· Not one. I 12· ·haven’t had a drink since.· Not one.· And my pain level is 13· ·under control. 14· · · · · ·I have a medical marijuana card from the State of 15· ·Illinois. 16· · · · · ·(applause) 17· · · · · ·MR. O’HARA:· · · · ·That’s all from the heart. 18· · · · · ·But not only was I in 26 years in the Army, but 19· ·just to show you that I do know my way around a little bit, 20· ·I do know what this stuff can do.· I spent 15 years in 21· ·Northrop Grumman in industry as a manager.· But then I went 22· ·and I taught eight years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community 23· ·College.· Right down there on the Gulf Coast.· Everybody in 24· ·all of the cities along the coast has taken a course at 25· ·MGCC.· I guarantee you.· And, I tell you what, I’ve heard ·1· ·all the stories of all the issues of all the, you know, the ·2· ·-- the Mississippi Department of Services and, uh, the ·3· ·people that have -- are -- are relying on the government for ·4· ·so many things.· And there’s so many of them that have been ·5· ·given opioids because that’s the way to kill the pain ·6· ·because nobody wants to talk about legalizing marijuana. ·7· ·I’m talking about legalizing medical marijuana. ·8· · · · · ·Thank you. ·9· · · · · ·(applause) 10· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Thank you, Mr. O’Hara.· And 11· ·from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your service to 12· ·our country.· We’re happy to have you in Mississippi. 13· · · · · ·Next we’ll have Dr. Mark Horne, speaking against 14· ·Initiative 65, followed by Chad Edmonson, speaking for 15· ·Initiative 65. 16· · · · · ·(background) 17· · · · · ·DR. HORNE:· · · · · Thank you.· It’s been, uh, a 18· ·real honor to hear all the speakers.· I’ve heard every word. 19· ·I’ve paid close attention. 20· · · · · ·I’m a combat veteran, Desert Storm.· I’m a -- was a 21· ·battalion surgeon in the heavy artillery battalion.· I’m a 22· ·physician, a father, a brother, a son, a (inaudible), and 23· ·I’m the president of the Mississippi State Medical 24· ·Association.· I’m board certified in hospice and palliative 25· ·medicine, and I’m board certified in internal medicine. ·1· · · · · ·I’ve had a lot of experience treating people with ·2· ·chronic pain.· I’ve had a lot of experience, unfortunately, ·3· ·taking care of people for suffering, including a friend of ·4· ·mine who I went to see just last week at a hospital in New ·5· ·Orleans, who’s just passed away since, dying of esophageal ·6· ·cancer.· I know what it looks like treating people with ·7· ·chronic illnesses every day. ·8· · · · · ·It’s important I said those things after listening ·9· ·to all of you so that you’d know where I’m coming from 10· ·because I think it’s important that we know our perspectives 11· ·and why we have them. 12· · · · · ·I’ve got over 28 years of practice experience. 13· ·Graduated from medical school 32 years ago.· I -- I’m not 14· ·new to this.· I’ve seen it lots and lots and lots of times. 15· ·Um, and I can assure you that medical marijuana is an 16· ·oxymoron. 17· · · · · ·I heard Dr. -- uh, the good doctor, who’s a 18· ·thoracic surgeon.· Endocannabinoid system is an amazing 19· ·thing and it has been researched, and we need the feds to 20· ·allow us to research it more effectively. 21· · · · · ·There are some marijuana (inaudible), THC and CBD. 22· ·They’re available.· But what’s not available in Mississippi 23· ·and what’s not been proven as medication is smoking 24· ·marijuana or using cannabis. 25· · · · · ·So there -- I’m all for research in to marijuana. ·1· ·I’m all for finding one of the hundreds -- the, uh, good ·2· ·doctor talked about the endocannabinoid system, and I’m ·3· ·confident he’s done more research on it than I have, but ·4· ·there are hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, of ·5· ·organic molecules that could have potential pharmacologic ·6· ·effect.· And to shotgun everything with, uh, marijuana by ·7· ·smoking marijuana or taking dabbers or -- or shatter or any ·8· ·of the other ways you can get this, that’s not medicine. ·9· · · · · ·Medicine has a dose, a frequency, a (inaudible). 10· ·Every physician knows that.· Every physician.· That’s one O 11· ·one.· So you say we’re gonna give -- use medical marijuana. 12· ·If I was to treat marijuana -- if I was to treat Tylenol the 13· ·same way, say, “Take some Tylenol.”· “You want me to take 14· ·500 or 5,000 milligrams?”· Two entirely different things. 15· ·No one knows what the dose is when you’re doing medical 16· ·marijuana. 17· · · · · ·Now if I give you one of the derivatives that’s 18· ·pharmacologically tested and pured and we know what it is, I 19· ·know exactly what I’m giving you.· I give you 5 ounces of 20· ·marijuana per month, who can tell? 21· · · · · ·So some medications are safe in a given dose, but 22· ·they’re extraordinarily danger- more dangerous at higher 23· ·doses.· That’s why the science in practicing medicine 24· ·demands evidence, not observation. 25· · · · · ·Everything I’ve heard tonight is observation, and ·1· ·observation is a very important tool.· That’s where ·2· ·scientific knowledge begins.· But evidence is different than ·3· ·observation.· In science, we have to have evidence.· So we ·4· ·need more research to get evidence for which derivatives you ·5· ·want to use for what. ·6· · · · · ·Some of you paired marijuana to alcohol.· They’re ·7· ·both intoxicants.· Moderate alcohol use has some modest ·8· ·demonstrated health benefits and non-moderate use has a lot ·9· ·of negatives.· We all know that. 10· · · · · ·Alcohol can be taxed; nobody’s gonna tax this. 11· ·Cigarettes can be taxed; nobody’s gonna tax this.· Zoning 12· ·controls remain local with alcohol.· This is bad policy. 13· · · · · ·I’m not against medical research and I’m not 14· ·against the appropriate use of marijuana derivatives, 15· ·appropriately, medically.· But this isn’t medicine.· Don’t 16· ·co-op my practice of medicine into a recreational -- a 17· ·backdoor recreational marijuana bill, which is 65 is.· Don’t 18· ·force the Department of Health to shift their attention from 19· ·their critical public health mission to one of growing, 20· ·administrating, and promoting the use of an unproven product 21· ·with presumed health benefits. 22· · · · · ·Thank you. 23· · · · · ·(applause) 24· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Dr. Horne, thank you, uh, for 25· ·being here and also thank you for your service to our ·1· ·country. ·2· · · · · ·Next we’ll have Chad Edmonson, speaking for ·3· ·Initiative 65, followed by the esteemed Representative ·4· ·Omeria Scott. ·5· · · · · ·MR. EDMONSON:· · · ·Hey, guys.· Uh, my name’s Chad ·6· ·Edmonson.· Um, I was born and raised here in Hattiesburg. ·7· · · · · ·Um, Mr. Langton is actually, uh, a great resident ·8· ·of Hattiesburg.· We’re lucky to have him.· But I disagree ·9· ·with him pretty significantly, and I want to talk about two 10· ·of those criticisms that I disagree about. 11· · · · · ·The first is that him and a lot of people that are 12· ·against Initiative 65, they typically talk a lot about 13· ·cartels, you know, big industry, you know, outside 14· ·influences coming here to Mississippi to mess up our state. 15· · · · · ·So, as I said, I was born and raised here in 16· ·Hattiesburg.· Uh, my family’s been here for at least a 17· ·hundred years.· I know this because I recently learned that 18· ·I had a grandfather who was Sheriff of Forrest County in 19· ·1920.· And it may be awkward and uncomfortable the next time 20· ·I go to church, when we get over this Covid stuff, and it 21· ·may be a little awkward when I walk around my neighborhood, 22· ·there on 34th Avenue, but I’m a proud supporter of 23· ·Initiative 65. 24· · · · · ·I think that it demeans the 228-some-odd-thousand 25· ·people who signed this ballot initiative to talk so much ·1· ·about these outside influences when this is an inside the ·2· ·state initiative funded by a lot of people inside of a lot ·3· ·of different communities here in Mississippi that are ·4· ·supporters of Initiative 65 and medical marijuana, too. ·5· · · · · ·The second main criticism that I take issue with ·6· ·about Mr. Langton, uh, and many other people -- I don’t want ·7· ·to single him out, specifically, but I’ve heard this quite a ·8· ·bit from people that are supporting Initiative 65A and ·9· ·against Initiative 65 -- is that they don’t like the 10· ·details.· We want to tax it more.· We want to regulate it 11· ·more.· That’s especially funny coming from so many of my 12· ·conservative legislature friends, who I thought believed in 13· ·small government and low taxes.· But when it comes to an 14· ·issue like this, all they can talk about is how they want to 15· ·raise taxes on medical marijuana and how they want to 16· ·regulate it more.· But everything else they seem to be 17· ·against those issues. 18· · · · · ·I think if you’re a legislator here in the state of 19· ·Mississippi and you don’t like the details, you had more 20· ·than enough opportunities to participate in a different 21· ·process that you could have the legislative medical 22· ·marijuana initiative that you did like the details.· Over 20 23· ·bills have come in front of the Legislature in the past few 24· ·decades.· You could’ve voted to amend those.· You could’ve 25· ·voted for the ones you liked.· And if you didn’t, it’s a ·1· ·little bit too late now to be criticizing the people who ·2· ·have worked so hard to get all the ballot initiatives to put ·3· ·this on the ballot and get all the signatures. ·4· · · · · ·All of these criticisms and, indeed, the issue of ·5· ·65A itself that the Legislature passed is really a case of ·6· ·the left hand snapping and distracting you while the right ·7· ·hand does something that, in my guess, 60 percent -- and ·8· ·some polls have up to 80 percent -- of Mississippians ·9· ·actually want to happen, which is for us to have a legal way 10· ·here inside the state of Mississippi to have a legal option 11· ·to use medical marijuana after consulting -- after 12· ·consulting with your doctor.· So many people want this 13· ·initiative, and I think all these other criticisms about the 14· ·details specific to this ballot initiative are a little off- 15· ·putting to me.· If you wanted to change those details, you 16· ·should’ve got involved earlier in the process and you 17· ·should’ve participated.· If you didn’t, it’s too late. 18· · · · · ·If every single one of us got into a room and tried 19· ·to write a bill legalizing medical marijuana, we would have 20· ·different opinions from every single one of us.· That’s the 21· ·nature of the process. 22· · · · · ·Mississippians want medical marijuana.· That showed 23· ·in poll after poll.· And to get up here talking about how 24· ·you disagree with specific details, I think it’s misleading. 25· · · · · ·But that’s the reason that I’m -- those are the ·1· ·reasons I’m against the criticisms of this Initiative 65. ·2· ·That’s not the reasons I’m for it.· I’m for Initiative 65 ·3· ·because it has the potential to help so many different ·4· ·people inside of our communities. ·5· · · · · ·I recently had a member of my family who needed hip ·6· ·replacement, and she was scheduled to have it in March. ·7· ·Covid hit.· She spent the next six months stuck in a ·8· ·recliner in intense pain that entire time before she could ·9· ·get that hip surgery finally completed.· Her options were to 10· ·take Tylenol, which if you’ve ever had an issue like this 11· ·which causes intense chronic pain, makes you laugh in pain 12· ·just to hear somebody suggest you to take Tylenol.· Or to 13· ·take something like an opioid, which we’ve seen kills 60, 14· ·70, 80,000 Americans every single year from opioid 15· ·addictions and has decimated so many different communities 16· ·here in Mississippi.· Those are not two great options if you 17· ·are in intense pain, and you’re sitting for 24 hours a day, 18· ·seven days a week in a recliner because you can’t lay 19· ·straight because you’re in intense pain. 20· · · · · ·Medical marijuana would’ve been an option if she 21· ·could’ve discussed it with her doctor and, potentially, that 22· ·doctor could’ve said, “This is a good option for you to 23· ·try.”· The repercussions of her trying the medical marijuana 24· ·are not that significant.· Let’s be honest.· Studies show 25· ·that more than half of all American adults have tried ·1· ·marijuana.· They don’t have a third eye; there’s not an ·2· ·orange growing out of their head.· It is something that is ·3· ·far and away not that much worse than tobacco and alcohol in ·4· ·communities.· But she didn’t have that option.· This ballot ·5· ·initiative would give her that option. ·6· · · · · ·Initiative 65A is not necessarily going to. I ·7· ·think the Legislature has demonstrated they’re not doing ·8· ·anything to help you get medical marijuana. ·9· · · · · ·I urge you to vote for Initiative 65 and vote 10· ·against Initiative 65A. 11· · · · · ·Thank you so much. 12· · · · · ·(applause) 13· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Thank you, Mr. Edmonson. I 14· ·appreciate your comments tonight. 15· · · · · ·Next we’ll have Representative Omeria Scott, 16· ·followed by Ms. Jennifer Cvitanovich, uh, both speaking for 17· ·Initiative 65. 18· · · · · ·(background) 19· · · · · ·MS. SCOTT:· · · · · All right, good evening.· My 20· ·name is Omeria Scott.· I’m from Laurel, Mississippi, and to 21· ·be honest with you, I’m a little afraid to be up in here, 22· ·uh, this evening, Secretary, because the Legislature’s got a 23· ·pretty bad, um, rep -- rap tonight. 24· · · · · ·But let me just say that I was one of 49 25· ·legislators who voted against, um, the 65A proposal that was ·1· ·brought by the Legislature, and I’m proud to say that I’m ·2· ·one of the 20 who introduced legislation for, uh, the ·3· ·legalization of medical marijuana to -- as a therapeutic to ·4· ·treat our citizens with, um, the many conditions that they ·5· ·are suffering with. ·6· · · · · ·I was stricken with cancer in April of 2017 -- with ·7· ·breast cancer -- and, uh, I took all of my treatment in, uh, ·8· ·Texas, at MD Anderson, uh, Clinic.· I had, um, rounds of the ·9· ·red devil.· You all know how bad it is.· I had 12 rounds of 10· ·Taxol; lost all my hair; um, lost I can’t tell you how much 11· ·weight because, um, every time I went to weigh every week 12· ·before my, uh, cancer treatment, it was 3 and 4 pounds a 13· ·week and that is very upsetting.· I -- I hope you can 14· ·understand how upsetting that is to a person to see yourself 15· ·just withering away. 16· · · · · ·And when I was in Texas, uh, you know, they try to 17· ·give you things to do when you’re there from out of town so 18· ·that you don’t just, you know, sit around and do nothing. 19· ·And I joined, um, a group and -- and we talked about, you 20· ·know, our journey, our experiences.· But that is when I 21· ·found out, uh, Michael, that we had so many states that 22· ·would allow for, um, marijuana as a therapeutic use, uh, 23· ·particularly in our case, which was, uh, um, wa- wasting or, 24· ·you -- you -- you -- you know, um, or you couldn’t eat, uh, 25· ·or you couldn’t even drink.· I -- I don’t know if you all ·1· ·can imagine a person not even being able to drink water ·2· ·because the smell repelled you so.· And so I became very ·3· ·involved in this whole notion of -- of trying to, um, ·4· ·provide this, um, therapeutic for Mississippians. ·5· · · · · ·I thank God -- I thank God that I don’t have to ·6· ·have it anymore.· I could be at my house, you -- you know, ·7· ·because -- and just say that I don’t -- I -- you know, I’m ·8· ·past it.· But I want -- I don’t want to see anybody, like ·9· ·the young man that talked about the lady with the hip, uh, 10· ·this young lady’s son had to leave the state, and, uh, I 11· ·don’t want to see that.· Mississippi is better -- we’re 12· ·better people than that.· We -- we love our people, I think, 13· ·more than that. 14· · · · · ·And I -- I just wanted to bring this map to you 15· ·because I think it’s critical for us to see it when you hear 16· ·people with all of these things about cartels, and all of 17· ·these who we’re gonna tax and who we’re not gonna tax, and 18· ·gateway drugs and all this.· I -- I’m -- the young lady from 19· ·MM asked you a question.· I want to pose one to you. 20· · · · · ·All of these states here (indicating State Cannabis 21· ·Programs map) have some sort of, uh, marijuana program. 22· ·Mississippi has one, which we already know, uh, through the 23· ·Harper Grace’s Law, which Harper Grace herself can’t get the 24· ·drug, but Mississippi has one. 25· · · · · ·As a matter of fact, only Idaho, South Dakota, ·1· ·Nebraska, Kansas, and American Samoa does not have any ·2· ·program that involves any kind of marijuana:· medical, uh, ·3· ·T- uh, THC or CBD, uh, mix, or medical marijuana. ·4· · · · · ·And when you look around Mississippi, all of these ·5· ·states here, which are -- we would say are conservative ·6· ·states, uh, have medical marijuana available to their ·7· ·citizens.· If you’re in Jackson County, you look across ·8· ·whatever that highway is, 90, to, uh, uh, Pensacola, ·9· ·Florida, or Mi- um, or Fort Walton Beach, those people can 10· ·get medical marijuana in Florida, but the people in 11· ·Mississippi cannot.· If you look at Louisiana or Arkansas, 12· ·those people can get medical marijuana, but the people in 13· ·Mississippi cannot. 14· · · · · ·So I am like the young man who says that the 15· ·Legislature was totally inept.· Uh, they are on this 16· ·particular matter.· When you have passed a bill for a child, 17· ·named it after her, and she still can’t get it, that tells 18· ·you you’re inept.· And then, three years later, you’re 19· ·talking about trying to correct it and the child still can’t 20· ·get it, that tells you you’re inept. 21· · · · · ·So the people have to speak, and I would ask that 22· ·the people would vote for the initiative approval and for 23· ·65. 24· · · · · ·And I ask God to keep all of you, that He would 25· ·bless all of you, and that, you know, we can agree to ·1· ·disagree.· Okay? ·2· · · · · ·Thank you. ·3· · · · · ·(applause) ·4· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Representative Scott and, uh, ·5· ·and I served on the Legislature together.· Always ·6· ·appreciated her spirit, her feistiness, uh, her battle with ·7· ·-- with breast cancer, obviously, being a survivor. ·8· · · · · ·Uh, and one of the things I always remember is, you ·9· ·know, the same God that created me, created her, created 10· ·both of us after His image.· Uh, so that’s what we should 11· ·remember.· You know, we can agree to disagree; uh, we can -- 12· ·we can -- look, we -- we never really voted together that 13· ·many times.· But we still love each other, and I appreciate 14· ·her being here tonight. 15· · · · · ·So next we have, uh, Ms. Jennifer Cvitanovich, 16· ·voting -- or, excuse me, speaking for -- probably voting for 17· ·-- Initiative 65, followed by Dr. Thad Waites, who will be 18· ·speaking against Initiative 65. 19· · · · · ·MS. CVITANOVICH:· · Well, I only have a few minutes 20· ·and most of everything that I wanted to say tonight has been 21· ·touched on by somebody here or there already, um, so I’m 22· ·gonna make it real simple.· Measure -- I mean, Initiative 65 23· ·is about quality of life for people that are in pain. 24· · · · · ·I lost my mother at the age of 36, who was advised 25· ·by her doctors to smoke weed for her illness and wouldn’t ·1· ·because she was ashamed because it was illegal, so she ·2· ·suffered in the last few years of her life.· I was not able ·3· ·to have my mother; my children were not able to have their ·4· ·grandmother; and my daughter just married last month without ·5· ·a grandmother.· That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, ·6· ·have a wedding for a daughter without my mother. ·7· · · · · ·We also had a situation in our family where my ·8· ·uncle was smoking weed because of his cancer.· His sister ·9· ·found out and didn’t speak to him for a few years.· There 10· ·again, because it was illegal and she was ashamed of what he 11· ·had done.· His doctors also told him to do it.· He then 12· ·spent years going through chemo, all kind of treatments, 13· ·spending money on medications to be left broke by the time 14· ·he did die because it was inevitable he was gonna die.· All 15· ·he needed to do was spend money on something that would give 16· ·him quality of life and let his family love him while he was 17· ·still around. 18· · · · · ·So, I urge you, don’t look at this as, oh, we’re 19· ·not gonna make any money?· I’m disgusted that we sit in this 20· ·room tonight that anybody’s worried about whether this is 21· ·taxed or not.· This is about quality of life and letting 22· ·people choose what they want and what their doctor 23· ·recommends. 24· · · · · ·Thank you. 25· · · · · ·(applause) ·1· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·I’m sorry for your loss and, ·2· ·uh, appreciate the courage that it takes to get up and speak ·3· ·on that, so thank you for being here tonight. ·4· · · · · ·Next we’ll have Dr. Thad Waites, speaking against ·5· ·Initiative 65, followed by Mr. Jonathan Brown, speaking for ·6· ·Initiative 65. ·7· · · · · ·(background) ·8· · · · · ·Dr. WAITES:· · · · ·I, uh, I am a doctor unlike the ·9· ·illegal one over here, my friend, uh, Mr. Langton.· I’m a 10· ·cardiologist.· I am from Waynesboro.· I see that the 11· ·television already includes Waynesboro.· I have a lot of 12· ·connections with Laurel. 13· · · · · ·I am -- speak louder, okay.· I am a cardiologist of 14· ·the Hattiesburg Clinic, and I am Chair of the Board of 15· ·Governor -- uh, no, forget that.· I am Chair of the Board of 16· ·Health.· I used to be Chair of the Board of Governors of the 17· ·American College of Cardiology, so that flows fairly easily, 18· ·but I’m Chair of the Board of Health. 19· · · · · ·I was in the military.· I was a Navy flight 20· ·surgeon.· I served during the Vietnam War, and I signed to 21· ·the Marine Corps.· We flew aerials, as a matter of fact. 22· · · · · ·So I’m not here tonight to talk against marijuana. 23· ·I’m here to talk for the Board of Health.· Everybody has 24· ·told me that the populous doesn’t really care if the Board 25· ·of Health is effected by this, but I’m gonna talk about it ·1· ·anyway.· I’m gonna tell you what the Board of Health does ·2· ·very well. ·3· · · · · ·First of all, we’re one of the least supported with ·4· ·money Boards in the country.· We’re one of the accredited ·5· ·Boards in the country.· There were only 16 Boards of Health ·6· ·at the time we got accredited; there may be more now, but ·7· ·we’re one of only 16 that are accredited.· When we got ·8· ·accredited, we did this fantastic, uh, statewide health ·9· ·improvement plan and darned if a pandemic didn’t come along 10· ·and kind of knock us off our feet on trying to get that 11· ·done.· But what we do well is work on this pandemic. I 12· ·think you’ve all heard of Dr. Thomas Dobbs.· He is the 13· ·medical officer for the state within the Department of 14· ·Health. 15· · · · · ·What we also do very well is three systems of care. 16· ·We’re the only state in the nation that has three systems of 17· ·care:· trauma, heart attack, and stroke.· Other -- other 18· ·states have things like them, but not as a statewide system. 19· ·It takes lots of time and effort to make that happen, but we 20· ·-- we do have those things. 21· · · · · ·What we do well is all these things I just now 22· ·said.· What we have absolutely no expertise in is buying 23· ·plans, buying seeds, setting up processes -- and the words 24· ·in the Constitution would be processes that we have to do, 25· ·and there are about 10 things there we would be required to ·1· ·do as the Board of Health.· And, like an old football joke ·2· ·we have in Wayne County, we don’t want that ball.· Just ·3· ·don’t give us that ball. ·4· · · · · ·So that’s the reason I am against 65.· It has ·5· ·nothing to do with medical marijuana.· It has to do with ·6· ·protecting my Board of Health and my Mississippi State ·7· ·Department of Health. ·8· · · · · ·Thank you very much. ·9· · · · · ·(applause) 10· · · · · ·(background) 11· · · · · ·MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Thank you, Dr. Waites.· Thank 12· ·you, too, for your service, uh, to our country.· I respect 13· ·all the men and women who fought for our freedoms. 14· · · · · · Next we’ll have Jonathan Brown, speaking for 15· Initiative 65, followed by Jeremy George, uh, also speaking 16· for 65. 17· · · · · · (background) 18· · · · · · MR. BROWN:· · · · · Hey, y’all, my name is J.B., 19· uh, Jonathan Brown.· I’m from here in Hattiesburg, was born 20· and raised here.· Um, I’m an Iraq War veteran; served six 21· years in the United States Air Force as an Air (inaudible) 22· and Intelligence Analyst.· And I’ve spent the better part of 23· the last two years, uh, working my tail off to try to get the 24· signatures, uh, collected for this Initiative 65. 25· · · · · · I want to say thank you, of course, Mr. Watson, for ·1· hosting us; to Mayor Barker for hosting us, but I really want ·2· to say thank you to the hundreds, and even thousands, of ·3· Mississippians who went across the state, from the coast to ·4· the capitol, all the way up to -- to Southaven and Corinth -- ·5· all over the state -- and gathered signatures from over ·6· 228,000 Mississippians, who put pen to paper to put their ·7· name on the line because they know that medical marijuana is ·8· the right policy for Mississippi.· We got polls that say that ·9· over 81 percent of Mississippians support this. 10· · · · · · So there was one thing that the esteemed gentleman 11· said during his, uh, time speaking that was true.· There are 12· two sides to this.· Now it’s confusing on the ballot.· It 13· looks like there might be four sides of this.· And the way 14· this was presented tonight, there was for and against to 15· this, that, and the other, okay?· There are two sides to 16· this. 17· · · · · · If you believe in medical marijuana, if you believe 18· that patients in the state of Mississippi ought to have legal 19· access through their doctor to medical marijuana, there’s one 20· program that makes that happen.· That’s Initiative 65. 21· · · · · · But then along comes the Legislature.· The 22· Legislature which had a chance to do something about it for 23· years and years and years.· They missed their chance.· But 24· the people have spoken, okay? 25· · · · · · Yes, we’re amending the Constitution because the ·1· Legislature has laid down on the job.· This is not to -- to, ·2· uh, to cast dispersions on any of our legislators who are ·3· here tonight -- we appreciate you, Ms. Scott, for your work ·4· on this -- but that is to say that, as a whole, this body ·5· that’s -- that’s been given the responsibility to create laws ·6· in our society has failed at their job.· So, we the people of ·7· Mississippi, stood up -- we stepped up and we accomplished ·8· what was nearly an insurmountable task.· We navigated a very ·9· complicated web of requirements, uh, to put this on the 10· ballot.· We went to every single courthouse in the state of 11· Mississippi and got these -- these signatures passed through. 12· But then along comes the Legislature.· And now, after years 13· and years of doing nothing, they think they’ve got a good 14· idea.· Well, I don’t buy it.· Sorry.· You had your chance. 15· All right? 16· · · · · · So if you believe in medical marijuana, there is 17· only one real option.· Initiative 65A is a farce, it’s a 18· sham, and it’s designed to bamboozle and to fool the citizens 19· of the state of Mississippi.· These politicians think that 20· you’re dumb.· They think that you’re gonna fall for their 21· tricks.· But we’re not.· We actually know the truth in 22· Mississippi. 23· · · · · · There is one way to vote for medical marijuana in 24· Mississippi.· It’s for Initiative 65.· It’s a two-part 25· question.· You have to go all the way to the bottom of the ·1· ballot.· You can’t start -- stop at the top.· You have to ·2· answer both questions.· You answer yes, for, and you answer, ·3· secondly, for Initiative 65. ·4· · · · · · It confuses me that the State Department of Health ·5· doesn’t want extra money to accomplish their programs.· It ·6· confuses me that people who profess, uh, outwardly to not ·7· believe in the efficacy of medical marijuana, who are overtly ·8· against it, would then turn around and say on the back half ·9· of your vote to vote for 65A.· That doesn’t make any sense 10· logically.· If you’re against it, vote against it.· There’s 11· no need to fill out the rest of your ballot.· Now, you can 12· vote for 65A, but that’s a sham.· That’s a sham.· The real 13· program is 65. 14· · · · · · The people of Mississippi have spoken.· We’ve gone 15· all across the state to make this happen and crossed every 16· barrier.· I’m proud of all the work that’s been done, and I 17· hope that you, the people of Mississippi, will vote for 18· Initiative 65, the real medical marijuana program. 19· · · · · · (applause) 20· · · · · · MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Thank you, Mr. Brown.· Thank 21· you for your service, as well.· I look at Mississippi and all 22· the veterans that we have and just the fine, uh, folks that 23· make up Mississippi as a whole.· So it’s an honor to be here 24· with all of you tonight, obviously. 25· · · · · · Next we’ll have Mr. Jeremy George, speaking for 65, ·1· followed by Mr. Brett Barham. ·2· · · · · · (background) ·3· · · · · · MR. GEORGE:· · · · ·Hi, um, let me see.· All right. ·4· So everybody made really good points. ·5· · · · · · I’d like to start off by saying, too, that I’m ·6· originally from New Orleans, but I’ve spent all my adult life ·7· here in Petal. ·8· · · · · · Um, I’d like to say that, uh, I understand where ·9· everybody’s coming from on this tax stuff and with how it’s 10· not gonna help the State and all, it’s education departments 11· and different things, our streets, but I also want to ask 12· this.· Since when have any of y’all even cared about that, 13· you know?· Because, like what the pastor in the back said, 14· we’ve all been lied to.· You know, every politician’s gonna 15· lie to you about where this money’s gonna go just to try to 16· persuade your vote, you know?· That’s what -- it’s nothing 17· new, okay? 18· · · · · · So, with all that, if that’s your argument -- about 19· how are we gonna regulate the money, how are we going to tax 20· it or, you know, whatever -- they don’t need our money, you 21· know, because they’re gonna be the ones to gain from this, 22· okay? 23· · · · · · But let me tell you the ones that’s gonna lose from 24· not getting it.· People like any other -- people that are 25· addicted to opioids that can’t get off them.· Let’s speak for ·1· something of my personal self.· I was in the military for 10 ·2· years.· I’m also a veteran.· Um, I had -- I was booted out ·3· because of my injuries.· I was found unfit to be a soldier. ·4· My whole life was just pulled out from under me overnight, ·5· okay?· I was told by many doctors, “You got to learn to live ·6· with this,” okay?· And, just like anybody else, was just ·7· written prescriptions, like, whatever.· We all know how that ·8· works, all right?· So now, at a point of time in my life, ·9· just like anybody else that’s been able to consume THC at 10· whatever levels and CBD at whatever levels I’ve been able to 11· get, I haven’t been to the doctor that told me I need to 12· learn how to live with this the rest of my life in over four 13· years.· I haven’t been and I haven’t had to get another 14· prescription out of that man, all right? 15· · · · · · Let me tell you this, also.· I also have PTSD. I 16· also take a prescription pill, Paxil, okay?· What my doctor 17· failed to tell me was all the addictive traits that Paxil has 18· and how discontinuation syndrome exists, and it’s very real, 19· okay?· Let me tell you something about cannabis that’s a 20· fact.· They don’t have no such thing as discontinuation 21· syndrome with cannabis, okay?· When your condition has been 22· better or whatever, if it’s something that’s not long-term, 23· you can put that medicine down.· You don’t have to continue 24· consuming it unless you have a long-term illness. 25· · · · · · Now 65A wants to tell you pretty much I got to be ·1· dying in order to get it?· A terminal illness?· Who do you ·2· care about?· You make me sick talking about money.· You know, ·3· if you really cared about the people of Mississippi, then do ·4· something about it.· Because 20 -- you said 20 different ·5· initiatives have been brought up?· You smashed all of them, ·6· okay?· You could’ve took [sic] something out of that and made ·7· some good out of it. ·8· · · · · · You know, people like my father; people like my ·9· best friend; people like everybody that somebody in this room 10· knows wouldn’t have had to die if they had access to this 11· plant that God gave us, okay?· So who are you, as a human 12· being, to tell me or tell any other human in this world they 13· can’t have access to that?· That should’ve been found 14· unconstitutional long ago.· And yet you wanna sit here and 15· put people in cages for having a plant that God gave them, 16· okay?· You wanna act like, okay, what if we have access to 17· this plant, what is it gonna do to people in my neighborhood? 18· What is it gonna do to -- I don’t know, let’s be smart for a 19· second and look at our neighbor’s face that’s been doing 20· this.· What is it doing for them?· You know what I’m saying? 21· Quit acting like Mississippi’s any different.· When you drink 22· water in the desert, it hydrates you, right?· When you drink 23· water in the winter -- in the pool, it’s gonna hydrate you, 24· right?· When people consume cannabis in California; when they 25· consume cannabis in Colorado; when they consume in any of ·1· those states that was on this map, what makes you think it’s ·2· gonna be any different in your neighborhood?· No.· That ·3· quality of life that -- that’s printed out on the -- this ·4· whole -- one second -- Mississippi Association of Chief of ·5· Police little concern that y’all wanna put out, it’s talking ·6· about the quality of life.· Well, they have pretty much ·7· evidence that cannabis increases the quality of life in many ·8· people.· Many, many, many people.· You know?· Do some ·9· research and you’ll find out for yourself. 10· · · · · · And, you know what, there’s been questions asked, 11· too, and I’d like to say some.· One question.· You know, 12· because we got -- it’s on the ballot, too, about the flag, 13· you know.· In that flag, it asks the question -- or it says, 14· “In God We Trust.”· It says it on the currency, too, “In God 15· We Trust.”· I’d like to think everybody here believes in God 16· or at least trusts in something like that, okay?· In what 17· world do you live in that you trust a man over God?· What 18· world do -- would you rather continue taking that crutch of a 19· pill that man made for you over God’s medicine.· He put it in 20· the very first (inaudible).· Quit sitting there acting like 21· you believe in God and placing that stamp on our stuff and 22· sit here and deny us His medicine.· Do you believe in God or 23· do you believe in man? 24· · · · · · Thank you. 25· · · · · · (applause) ·1· · · · · · MR. WATSON:· · · · ·Thank you, Mr. George, for your ·2· service and thank you, too, for joining us here in ·3· Mississippi.· We are -- we’re happy to have you. ·4· · · · · · Our last speaker of the night will be Brett Barham, ·5· and Brett will be speaking for Initiative 65. ·6· · · · · · (background) ·7· · · · · · MR. BARHAM:· · · · ·Yeah, thanks for hanging in ·8· there.· I got to go after that?· Uh, anyway, thanks for ·9· having me. 10· · · · · · My name is, uh, Brett Barham.· Um, I came here I 11· was a middle child born with an older brother and a twin 12· sister. 13· · · · · · Um, my brother’s a military vet, fought in Desert 14· Storm, served our country.· He was involved in an accident 15· and, on March 13th, 2010, um, I get a phone call that he had 16· died in his sleep at the age of 40 years old.· The VA had 17· been prescribing him several medications from his accident, 18· including, uh, Fentanyl. 19· · · · · · Several years later, my sister gets diagnosed with, 20· uh, breast cancer that metastasized in bone cancer, and they 21· -- they give her five years to live. 22· · · · · · In 2018, my mother, uh, unexpectedly, uh, passed 23· away.· She was not going to let my sister go before her, so 24· she passed away in 2018. 25· · · · · · My sister had bone cancer and was living in North ·1· Carolina; was hoping that she could spend the last several ·2· years here with me, uh, but was unable to because of her ·3· medical marijuana card in North Carolina.· Uh, she passed ·4· away this year on 3/13, the same day as my brother, at the ·5· age of 48. ·6· · · · · · Medical marijuana was very helpful for her. I ·7· can’t imagine any physician not allowing her to have access ·8· to medical marijuana.· Uh, it helped her -- I think a lot of ·9· people don’t realize the side effects -- it helped her 10· agitation; improved her relationships; uh, it allowed her to 11· help to eat good food; just the nausea, the pain.· I don’t 12· think anybody denies the -- the medical benefit that, uh, 13· marijuana offers. 14· · · · · · Uh, it’s really a shame now that, uh, here we are, 15· we’re -- I think we’re 5 percent of the global population and 16· we use, uh, what, 60 percent of all anti-psychi- psychiatric 17· drugs:· Xanax, Adderall.· That’s not including the 50 18· percent, um, cessation that we have to opioids in our 19· country.· Um, I think there’s two -- I was in medical for 18 20· years -- um, just the 238,000 deaths a year from adverse drug 21· reactions. 22· · · · · · Um, we know medical marijuana is safe.· Uh, we know 23· it’s a better alternative to conventional medications. 24· People are catching on.· They’re tired of having all these 25· different medications and side effects, and we, as ·1· Mississippians, need to have the medical marijuana program ·2· here in Mississippi. ·3· · · · · · And I wish that pastor was still here, but, um, I ·4· wasn’t even aware of the signatures and this placed on the ·5· ballot, um, up until about probably three or four months ago, ·6· when I found out my friend, Spence Flatgard, was involved in ·7· writing this medical marijuana program.· Um, this guy was the ·8· president of my fraternity, student body president of ·9· Mississippi State University.· I think he was the only guy 10· that’s ever lived in my fraternity that did not drink 11· alcohol.· A God-fearing man, always wanting to help others, 12· and he spent two years of his life looking at the medical 13· marijuana industry.· Uh, 34 different dispensaries, decades 14· of research. 15· · · · · · I mean, this is not like we don’t have other states 16· to look at, from the number of license -- I think it was $500 17· million last year Florida made from medical marijuana, um, 18· just on the taxes, like what is proposed in Initiative 65. 19· Do we trust our politicians to use that money for education 20· and our roads?· That’s 500 million just on the taxes. 21· · · · · · Um, it’s a great program.· Again, they had 34 other 22· states to look at.· Self-funded, puts it in physician’s 23· hands.· The Department of Health, they can do this.· Florida 24· did the same thing.· They figured it out.· We have enough 25· outside help now with enough people, uh, that have done this ·1· to -- to make a successful program here in Mississippi. ·2· · · · · · We need to vote Initiative 65. ·3· · · · · · Thank you. ·4· · · · · · (applause) ·5· · · · · · MR. WATSON:· · · · ·So thank you all, uh, for being ·6· here tonight.· It matters.· I appreciate you taking the time ·7· to come let your voices be heard, to be engaged in the ·8· process.· Uh, Mississippi and the country would be better off ·9· if we had more of our citizens who cared enough, uh, to be 10· out here and have their voices heard, to engage in the 11· process. 12· · · · · · Uh, and also I appreciate, again, the civility. 13· Uh, that we can come and share our opinions and our thoughts, 14· uh, in a friendly manner and go home as -- as brothers and 15· sisters in Christ, and so I do appreciate you being here. 16· · · · · · Our next public hearing will be tomorrow night, uh, 17· Thursday, October 8th, at the Meridian City Hall, Meridian, 18· Mississippi.· The doors will open at 5 p.m. and the public 19· hearing will begin at 5:30. 20· · · · · · I encourage each of you again to do your research. 21· Uh, you can find the full text of both 65 and 65A on our 22· website, uh, so please make sure that you go do that.· Again, 23· being an educated voter is incredibly important in these days 24· and times.· So I also encourage you to visit our initiative 25· pages.· Again, we have a bunch of information on there about ·1· these issues and others, uh, so make sure you do that. ·2· · · · · · Uh, your comments will be posted there from tonight ·3· so other Mississippians can understand and hear your ·4· viewpoints.· Uh, so I appreciate you doing that. ·5· · · · · · Let me say a special thank you again tonight, uh, ·6· to our -- our men in uniform, to our Highway Patrolmen, who ·7· are here to protect us.· Uh, I pray for your families, I pray ·8· for your safety, and I really appreciate all that you do for ·9· us here in Mississippi so that we can go home and see our 10· families and see them safely. 11· · · · · · Uh, so thank you to the Jackie Dole Sherrill 12· Community Center for hosting us tonight.· You did a wonderful 13· job of setting this up. 14· · · · · · Again, I appreciate my staff that is here with me. 15· Uh, you see my face all the time on TV and, uh, hear my -- my 16· quotes on the radio and see my name in the newspaper, but 17· it’s not just me.· It is an incredible team of men and women 18· that I have that work with me, so I could not do that without 19· them.· Uh, you already saw Vanna White tonight.· Uh, so, uh, 20· I appreciate Leigh being here, and Kendra, Madeline and 21· Colton, wherever he is.· Uh, so please understand, uh, again, 22· it is not just me.· Uh, it’s a wonderful team of men and 23· women at the Secretary of State’s Office that do this. 24· · · · · · So, uh, thank you again.· I -- I pray for your 25· safety tonight, that you can go home and be safe and live ·1· another beautiful day tomorrow.· So God bless you and God ·2· keep you. ·3· · · · · · (applause) ·4· · · · · · (background) ·5· · · · · · [END OF RECORDING] ·6· · · · · · [END OF TRANSCRIPT] ·7 ·8 ·9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 ·1· ·C E R T I F I C A T E· P A G E ·2 ·3· ·I, Angela P. Ferreire, Transcriptionist, ·4· ·do hereby certify that this transcript ·5· ·is a true and accurate record of the ·6· ·electronically recorded proceedings, ·7· ·transcribed under my direction ·8· ·this 2nd day of November, 2020. ·9 10· ·______11 12· ·ANGELA P. FERREIRE 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25