Mississippi’s Medical Marijuana program officially began Wednesday as the Mississippi State Department of Health began accepting applications.
Applications are now being accepted for cultivation, processing, transportation, disposal, research testing, patient ID cards, and physician certification. Businesses and people wanting to apply for work permits are able to do so.
However, the Mississippi Department of Revenue will not begin accepting applications for dispensaries until July.
A 30-day lag time exists between application windows because there can be no dispensaries without product.
Getting the product up and started first was the priority for the state. All applications are digital at the Mississippi Department of Health website.
There is one kink in the process, however.
Those wanting to apply for a patient ID card must first be certified by a doctor.
However, Wednesday wasthe first day a doctor can apply for certification with the state.
The physician also has to register with the Department of Health. Even to certify a patient, a doctor has had to complete eight hours of medical cannabis continuing education through the Department of Health online system.
Therefore, it is unlikely there will be any completed patient applications because physicians’ applications must be completed first.
The Department of Health said it is hopeful to be able to approve a full application within five days of submission. Depending on the license type, though, it could take up to 30 days for state regulators to approve.
In the meantime, a handful of cultivators have already begun construction on their facilities in the hopes of having products available by late 2022.
Marijuana in the South:How marijuana laws have progressed across the South so far
After a turbulent year and a half, when it was unclear whether efforts to legalize medical marijuana in the state would be possible, Mississippi passed a law in February.
Unlike neighboring programs in Louisiana and Arkansas, Mississippi’s program does not have caps on business licenses. It includes a tiered licensing fee structure that allows smaller businesses to participate in the program for lower fees.
Under the law, communities had until May 3 to decide whether they wanted certain marijuana businesses to operate in their communities. The provision explicitly targets dispensaries, cultivators and marijuana processing facilities. City and county leaders can opt back in at any time under the law. Residents also can request a special election to decide to opt back in.
More:Medical marijuana opt-out deadline arrives. These are the cities that said no for now
Counties that have opted out
- Carroll
- Calhoun
- Choctaw
- George County
- Jones (opted in for cultivation; opted out for processing and dispensaries)
- Lauderdale
- Leflore
- Lincoln
- Madison County (opted in for cultivation, processing, and transportation; opted out for dispensaries)
- Montgomery
- Neshoba
- Newton
- Pearl River County
- Pontotoc
- Tippah
- Webster
Municipalities that have opted out
- Amory
- Ashland
- Belmont
- Brandon
- Caledonia
- Carrollton
- Clinton
- D’Iberville
- Ecru
- Flora
- Greenwood
- Gluckstadt
- Horn Lake
- Lucedale
- Madison
- New Albany
- Noxapater
- Pass Christian
- Pontotoc
- Ridgeland
- Southaven
- Sumrall
- Tishomingo
- Vaiden
- Winona (opted in for dispensaries; opted out for processing and cultivation)
Ross Reily can be reached by email at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on Twitter @GreenOkra1.
