/>iMississippi is no stranger to criticism or being the butt of jokes alleging its inability or refusal to adapt with the times. And, while some of these stereotypes have some support, Mississippi is quietly silencing some if its critics by becoming a pioneer in the plant-based medicine realm.
Beginning in 1968, Mississippi claimed host to the only federally authorized marijuana grow operation in the country on the Ole Miss campus, for research purposes. Sadly, Ole Miss’s federal contract to grow and research marijuana is set to end in 2028, but that program has laid the foundation for a state-funded research program that is expected to flourish in the years to come. In 2022, Mississippi became one of a handful of Deep South states to approve a full-fledged medical marijuana program. In 2025, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians approved a referendum to legalize marijuana on tribal lands. Next legislative session, the state’s list of trailblazing achievements may grow thanks to the leadership of State Rep. Samuel Creekmore, who is promoting a path towards the authorization of state-funded FDA trials to explore how the plant-based, psychoactive substance Ibogaine can aid in treating a variety of disorders, including addiction and PTSD.
Creekmore, the chairman of Mississippi’s House Public Health Committee, penned a compelling op-ed earlier this summer urging Mississippians and fellow lawmakers to follow Texas’ lead and pass legislation that supports this form of unconventional treatment. Creekmore’s efforts did not go unnoticed; the Mississippi Legislature will hold a hearing on August 28 at 10 a.m. in Room 216 of the State Capitol to discuss the proposal. The hearing will feature testimony from patients, medical professionals, and veterans who have first-hand experience with Ibogaine treatment and field questions from attendees.
Ibogaine, like marijuana and other psychoactive substances shown to offer promising medicinal benefits, is currently a Schedule I substance under the Federal Controlled Substances Act. That designation, which is, per the act’s terms, reserved for drugs with no shown medicinal benefit and with a high propensity for addiction, has long prevented the research needed to unveil its benefits and potential side effects. But, led by the efforts of former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Texas approved legislation last month to contribute $50 million in state funds to aid in Ibogaine clinical trials. Creekmore’s hope is that Mississippi follows a similar path and partners with Texas in these efforts.
We’ll be following this topic as it develops, so check back in with us for updates.
