New Albany aldermen vote to allow medical marijuana in the city

By a three-to-two vote, the New Albany Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday night to allow the production and sale of medical marijuana in the city.

The motion to “opt in” under the new Mississippi medical marijuana law was made by Ward One Alderman Parks Smith. Ward Two Alderman Drew Horn and Alderman-At-Large Keith Conlee voted with Smith to allow medical marijuana in New Albany. Ward Three Alderman Kevin Dale White and Ward Four Alderman Will Tucker voted against the motion.

As the motion was worded, the board’s action is effective immediately.

About 80-90 people attended the New Albany hearing on medical marijuana.

The vote came at the end of a two-hour hearing at the Magnolia Civic Center. Several speakers addressed remarks to the aldermen. About a dozen people spoke against allowing medical marijuana, although several more shouted comments and questions from the audience. Six people spoke in favor of medical marijuana.

The hearing was mostly civil, although it got a little rowdy near the end as some of those opposed to medical marijuana began to sense that the city board’s vote would be in favor of medical marijuana. However, most of those on both sides of the issue behaved well.