History made: Mississippi’s first medical marijuana dispensaries open

In a historic moment for the cannabis legalization movement, the first legal sale of medical marijuana in Mississippi took place today in the city of Brookhaven.

“Today is a very exciting day,” said Melvin C. Robinson III, executive director of the Mississippi Cannabis Trade Association, who was present at the Cannabis Company’s dispensary on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the first sale. “History was made in Brookhaven.”

The first purchase was made by Debbie McDermott, a local woman who suffers from chronic pain. “I think it will [offer] so much help to so many people,” McDermott said. “I am pleased that there is an alternative to the good but not great drugs like opiates.”

Historic day in Mississippi. Debbie McDermott was the first patient in the state to purchase medical marijuana. McDermott bought them Wednesday afternoon at a pharmacy called The Cannabis Company in Brookhaven. #mscannabis pic.twitter.com/cmr6DwkQ1G

— Ross Adams (@radamsWAPT) January 26, 2023

The first of 162 licensed pharmacies

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law the state medical marijuana law on February 2, 2022. Since then, the state has licensed 162 dispensaries, most of which are scheduled to open in the coming year.

In these early days, product choices are expected to be relatively limited as farmers and manufacturers ramp up their operations. The Cannabis Company’s menu so far features Apple Fritter Flower for $60 an eighth.

Pharmacies also open in Oxford and St Martin

Oxford Eagle reporter Jake Davis was in attendance for another first day sale, this time at Hybrid Relief Cannabis in Oxford. According to the pharmacy’s menu on Leafly, OG Kush grams sold for $11.42.

Local news station WXXV reported that another dispensary, Bee’s Buds in the city of St. Martin, is expected to treat its first patients on Wednesday.

Barbara Wilson, CEO of Bee’s Buds, told WXXV, “Our greatest thing is that we love helping people and the reason I got involved in this is because I know it will help a lot of patients and they won’t have the side effects. A lot of them are on drugs and stuff, so we’re really excited about that.”

To date, the Mississippi State Department of Health has registered approximately 1,700 patients for the legal purchase and use of medicinal cannabis.