Mississippi governor vetoes 'Right to Try' medical cannabis bill over out-of-state resident language

Governor blocks expanded access measure citing provision allowing out-of-state patients, marking second veto of medical cannabis legislation this month.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

Mississippi's governor has vetoed a 'Right to Try' medical cannabis bill, according to reporting by Magnolia Tribune, citing language that would permit out-of-state residents to access the program. The veto represents the second rejection of medical cannabis legislation in late March, following an earlier block of a bill to remove cannabis concentrate caps.

The rejections appear to complicate Mississippi's medical cannabis landscape after years of legislative effort. Prior coverage shows patients and workers protested the governor's vetoes on March 31, while the state's licensed patient base has grown alongside expanding revenue, which rose $500K in early 2026. The out-of-state residency clause suggests dispute over the program's intended scope—a detail likely to resurface if the legislature pursues override or resubmission.

Watch whether the legislature moves to address the out-of-state provision and reintroduce the measure, or whether the veto signals a broader pause in medical cannabis expansion. Mississippi voters have lacked a ballot initiative pathway for five years, leaving legislative vehicles as the primary route for program changes.