Mississippi’s cannabis program is now operational, but residents should not expect product availability anytime soon. Jim Craig, senior deputy and director of health protection at the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), noted, “It looks like it will probably be the end of the year before we’ll see product in the dispensaries in Mississippi.”
This month, the MSDH began accepting online applications from businesses, cultivators, patients, and practitioners. The health department anticipates that only products from licensed Mississippi cultivators will be sold, contingent upon approval, planting, cultivation, and testing by state labs.
“This is a brand new program and I know everyone would love for it to be fully up and operational, but there is a time period where the cultivators and processors actually grow the product,” Craig explained. “Businesses have to get established, they have to hire, and they have to get crops in the ground. They will need to be products that are approved and tested in Mississippi.”
Medical Cannabis Patient Applications
As of now, approximately 1,800 patients have applied for a medical marijuana card. “About 85% of those registrants are patients,” said Kris Jones, director of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program.
To obtain a medical cannabis identification card, patients must be diagnosed with a qualifying condition by a registered practitioner, who must believe that cannabis will alleviate the patient’s symptoms. Patients need to see a registered practitioner before applying, and the practitioner must submit an online certification of diagnosis that is valid for 12 months, unless a shorter period is specified. A follow-up check-up after six months of cannabis use is also mandatory.
“The required practitioner written certification will be completed by the practitioner through an online submission no greater than 60 days prior to the patient’s application,” Jones stated. Following submission, patient applications will typically be processed within five days.
Dispensary Applications and Licensing
So far, the MSDH has received 15 dispensary applications, 12 work permits, and nine practitioner applications, with numbers expected to increase. “Those numbers are growing daily,” Jones remarked. The Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program provides a guide for residents interested in applying for patient registration cards and business licenses, which includes regulations for every aspect of the medical marijuana program.
Very few cities or counties along the Mississippi Coast have opted out of medical cannabis regulations. Those that remain in the program are enhancing zoning regulations to determine locations for dispensaries and cultivators. The Department of Revenue will oversee the licensing and inspection of medical marijuana dispensaries.
“The dispensaries are coming online a little bit later due to statutory requirements that the Department of Revenue will actually license dispensaries,” Jones explained. “That will start July 1.” Once dispensary owners submit their applications after July 1, the revenue department will have 30 days to process them.
Cost of Registration and Licensing
The MSDH will impose various application fees for practitioners and patients. The costs are as follows:
- Registry Identification Card: $25
- Designated Caregiver Registry Identification Card: $25
- Designated Caregiver Criminal Background Check: $37
- Renewal or Replacement Fee for Cards: $25
- Nonresident Card: $75
- Qualifying Patient Registry Identification Card Application for Medicaid Participants: $15
- Fee for Renewal of a Medicaid Participant’s Card: $15
- Application Fee for a Qualifying Patient Registry Identification Card for Disabled Veterans or Disabled First Responders: Free (waived)
This information was initially published on June 6, 2022, highlighting the evolving landscape of Mississippi’s cannabis industry.
