Mississippi Appeals Court Upholds Medical Marijuana Advertising Ban

A federal appeals court has upheld Mississippi's prohibition on advertising for medical marijuana businesses, asserting that the federal Controlled Substances Act renders marijuana illegal nationwide. The ruling followed a lawsuit by Clarence Cocroft II, owner of Tru Source Medical Cannabis, who argued that the advertising restrictions hinder his ability to attract customers and inform the public. The court emphasized that the state's restrictions on commercial speech related to illegal activities do not violate the First Amendment. Cocroft intends to continue challenging the ban, despite the court's ruling that Mississippi faces no constitutional barriers to enforcing such restrictions. The Mississippi Attorney General's office welcomed the decision, reaffirming the state's authority to regulate marijuana advertising. This ruling highlights the ongoing conflict between state-level marijuana legalization and federal law.