Mississippi voters approved a medical marijuana initiative during Tuesday’s general election.

Initiative 65 allows doctors to prescribe up to 5 ounces of marijuana per month to people diagnosed with at least one of more than 20 medical conditions.

Ronnie Pollard, of Olive Branch, said he became a supporter of medical marijuana after his daughter began her fight against leukemia in 2017.

“She’s still going through maintenance chemo, so she still has the bone pain and all of that,” Pollard said.

Pollard said the passing of the initiative will mean a better quality of life for his daughter and other patients.

“So many people are winning from this and it’s an amazing thing that we finally achieved in Mississippi,” Pollard said. “You know, for these cancer patients, seizure patients, and of course many other illnesses.”

Pollard said medical marijuana will help his daughter in several ways.

“She battles nausea and not wanting to eat, so it helps her with that. Also, it helps battle the leukemia itself,” Pollard said.

Pollard didn’t always support the use of marijuana.

“I had to reprogram my mind. I had to rethink things, and when I saw what it did for my daughter, is when I really started rethinking,” Pollard said.

He said if the initiative didn’t pass, some families said they would have to move to a state where medical marijuana is legal.

“My daughter has even thought the same thing,” Pollard said. “She’s a single mom with a little boy, so I hated to have to see her have to move off, because she does need our help.”