RIPLEY • Users of medical marijuana will be able to buy the legalized drug in Ripley, but not grow it.
During a special-called meeting on Tuesday, members of the Ripely City Council voted unanimously to opt out of the cultivation and processing of medical cannabis.
In a separate vote, the board voted in favor of allowing the research, testing and sale of medical marijuana within the city.
Although state law permits a multifaceted approach to allowing or disallowing portions of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act (SB 2095) — giving municipal leaders options when adopting the law within their communities — most officials have chosen to either be all in or all out.
Ripley city officials, however, said their decision to permit the sale, but not growth, of medicinal pot was spurred by a desire to see how the law plays out in other communities, especially in relation to zoning.
“The cultivation and processing facilities must be in agricultural or industrial zoned areas, which could possibly impact residential areas,” attorney Price Elliott explained, on behalf of the city board.
Ripley Mayor Jon Grisham said city officials may reverse their decision once they see how grow facilities affect the communities in which they are located.
“Once there is a better understanding on that, we will look into opting in on it,” Grisham said.
The vote stands in contrast to the Tippah County Board of Supervisors’ decision on the same issue. Supervisors on Feb. 15 voted unanimously to disallow — or “opt out” — of the legalized growth and sale of medical marijuana.
SB 2095 lists 20 medical conditions and categories of conditions for which an individual would be eligible for a medical marijuana card in Mississippi, including cancer, Crohn’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, any “chronic, terminal, or debilitating” condition producing chronic pain, and “any other condition” that may be added by the Mississippi Department of Health in the future.
The law prohibits “smoking medical [marijuana] in a public place or in a motor vehicle.”
Medical cannabis dispensaries will be licensed and regulated by the Department of Revenue. Pharmacies cannot dispense it.
Medical cannabis dispensaries licensed and regulated by the Department of Revenue. Pharmacies cannot dispense it.
Jurisdictions have 90 days to opt out — the deadline is around May 2. Opting out happens at the municipal or county level, depending on where the facility is located. Citizens of jurisdictions that opt out can gather signatures — 1,500 or 20%, whichever is less — to force the issue to come to a vote. If the opt-in vote fails, they have to wait two years to try again.
