Nearly a year and a half into medical cannabis sales in Mississippi, the state is refining the laws governing the program, with changes that many patients and advocates believe will provide significant benefits. A new law allows patients to pick up their medical marijuana once a month instead of every seven days, a modification that patients like Mike Watkins deem essential. “This is a huge win for us because now you don’t have to go get your medicine once a week,” Watkins stated. For many patients dealing with debilitating conditions, the weekly trips to dispensaries can be a burden.
Austin Calhoun, another patient, highlighted the logistical challenges faced by those living in rural areas. “When you live in the rural areas, you may have to drive 30-45 minutes,” he explained. “To do that once a week complicates your day-to-day or week-to-week schedule.”
Mississippi Medical Cannabis Research Program
Additionally, the new legislation introduces the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Research Program, aimed at assessing which medical conditions benefit from specific cannabis formulations. Angie Calhoun, founder and CEO of the Mississippi Cannabis Patients Alliance, noted, “The whole goal is to see what debilitating medical conditions benefit from which formulations.”
Calhoun emphasized the importance of a new app integrated into the state’s system to enhance the program’s effectiveness. “Mississippi will be the first seed to outcome state program,” she stated. “Other states focus on seed to sale to gauge profitability, but our Department of Health and the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy are committed to understanding how medical cannabis actually helps patients.”
This research initiative is expected to streamline the process for patients seeking effective products, potentially saving them both time and money. Austin Calhoun reflected on his past experience in another state, saying, “I had six months to figure out what worked for me. For a patient in Mississippi, being able to identify effective formulations is going to be super ideal.”
Watkins added, “That’s phenomenal to know what you’re putting in your body.”
Both of these new laws will take effect on July 1, marking a significant step in advancing Mississippi’s medical cannabis landscape.