Mississippi Medical Marijuana Applications Begin Now, Big Business for Magnolia State

Through Maureen Meihan

It may not seem like a big deal to the millions of Americans living in legal cannabis states, but Wednesday is a huge one for supporters of medical marijuana in Mississippi. June 1st is the first day for medical marijuana patients to submit their applications for a card in Magnolia State. Companies can also apply for licenses.

After a long awaited time

In February, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed legislation making Mississippi the 37th state to legalize medical marijuana. At the time, the governor said, “There is no doubt that there are individuals in our state who could do significantly better if they had access to doses of medically prescribed cannabis.” 74 percent of Mississippi voters approved the medical marijuana program.

Photo by Pieter van de Sande via Unsplash

Fall like flies

However, at least 28 cities and a dozen counties have pulled out of the medical marijuana program entirely, Mississippi Today reported, adding that the state’s Department of Health does not keep an official list of all communities restricting cannabis operations.

Ken Newburger, director of the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association, said the law itself does not provide a reporting guideline for municipalities. At the same time, the lack of an official list should not encourage anyone to circumvent the system, he warned.

“If you try to open a dispensary in a city that has decided not to, local officials have all the powers to 1. stop you and 2. report you to the state,” Newburger said.

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Each county’s decision to opt out applies only to its unincorporated areas, meaning some cities in opt-out counties can still add businesses to the program. Patients living in opt-out areas can still possess and use medical marijuana.

Meanwhile, Newburger said it will likely be late this year or early next year before patients can receive medical marijuana.

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Once the application process begins, there is a 30-day approval period for license applications and a five-day approval period for program patients. All applications are processed by the Mississippi State Health Department and require a doctor’s approval.

Dispensary-only licensing of medicinal cannabis begins July 1 through the State Department of Revenue.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.