Lawmakers send Right to Try Medical Cannabis Act, Ibogaine clinical trials to governor

• The Mississippi House of Representatives voted to concur on the measures Tuesday after the bills returned from the Senate.

Legislation allowing terminally ill patients to try medical cannabis for ailments not currently covered under the state’s program and another measure to request FDA approval to conduct clinical trials of a psychoactive drug aimed at helping people overcome PTSD and opioid withdrawal symptoms are heading to the governor’s desk.

The Mississippi House of Representatives voted to concur on the measures Tuesday after the bills returned from the Senate.

Medical Cannabis for the Terminally Ill

In order for a patient to try medical cannabis, a physician must show that all other traditional treatments have been attempted. That information, along with a petition from their attending physician, is then to be sent to the State Health Officer who will have final approval authority.

The version of HB 1152 sent over by the Senate allows patients suffering from a terminal condition not listed in the Mississippi medical cannabis program to try the substance. However, one amendment was added.

“The Senate passed that just like we did, and they added that out-of-state persons diagnosed by a practitioner in this state as having a debilitating condition could be issued a written certification saying they have this condition and they could get a card here in our state,” State Rep. Lee Yancey (R) described.

That amendment allows people from out-of-state who have been in Mississippi less than 45 days to obtain a Mississippi medical cannabis card, the bill outlines. When asked by State Rep. Dan Eubanks (R) if the Senate adding that provision to the bill was legal, State Rep. Lee Yancey (R) said, “It’s not illegal,” later adding there are over 30 other states in the U.S. that allow the practice.

“Out-of-state people come in our state every day, and some of them work here on extended time periods and some of them have debilitating conditions,” Yancey said.

The House voted 102 to 14 to concur with the amended version of the bill.

Ibogaine Trials

HB 314 left the House with the aim of allowing Mississippi to establish clinical trials of a drug called Ibogaine, which has shown promise in helping people overcome their PTSD symptoms as well as deal with withdrawals from opioids or other addictive substances.

Currently, those interested in seeking the treatment must travel abroad, such as to Mexico. Since Ibogaine poses a cardiac risk, the treatment requires an initial evaluation and must be performed under medical supervision. 

State Rep. Samuel Creekmore (R) said that when the bill reached the Senate, it was determined that the measure contained redundant language concerning the FDA trial application process.

“Because we’re partnering with a lead institution in another state, it was not necessary for us to have the complete FDA trial application,” Creekmore said. “We sent the changes to the Senate, asked them to amend it.”

Those changes will make applying to the FDA for the trials more cost efficient, he added. 

Concurrence on the amended bill passed by a vote of 115 to 3.

Both bills will now head to the governor for review before becoming law.