With dispensaries opening across Mississippi, the state’s medical cannabis program is now in full swing. But there are still some bumps in the road.Medical marijuana may not be a cure-all, but it could bring relief to thousands of Mississippians suffering from diseases that cause chronic pain.”I really noticed since I’ve been medicating, just with this medical cannabis in Mississippi, I mean, my life quality has really, really improved,” said cannabis patient Joshua Gee.People who suffer from more than two dozen qualifying conditions now have access to the state’s new medical cannabis program.”I’m grateful to the legislature for getting this, you know, up and going and available to us patients,” said cannabis patient Stephanie Gray.But some patients are having a hard time finding help.”At the end of January, we had over 10,000 patients searching our website for information about medical cannabis cards, practitioners and dispensaries,” said Angie Calhoun, with the Mississippi Cannabis Patients Alliance.Calhoun said there are more than 100 practitioners across the state, but it’s not easy for patients to find one of those practitioners.”What we need is our practitioners to really promote themselves,” Calhoun said. “Because most of our patients think that any practitioner can certify them for medical cannabis, and that’s just not the case.”According to state law, a medical practitioner must first take an eight-hour course and get certified by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Only then can they issue a written certification to a patient who wants a cannabis card.Another big drawback is cost.”I’m getting a lot of emails from patients saying the prices are really too high for them to afford,” Calhoun said.Patients like Gee, who was diagnosed with PTSD years ago after serving in the Iraq war.”I have three different types of insurance and I still have to pay out of pocket,” Gee said.Neither private insurance nor Medicaid or Medicare will pay for medical cannabis. Calhoun said dispensaries are charging anywhere from $35 to $65 for a single unit.”And so, when we break this down, we’re looking at, you know, on the higher end that’s $30 a day for a person to use medical cannabis, which, you know, that comes up to over $1,500 a month,” Calhoun said.”And that’s absurd. I mean, we’re talking about people with disabilities that are so detrimental to their daily life and the bad things they may experience that they can’t work. So, I honestly don’t know how people are going to be able to afford it at that price,” Gee said.Calhoun worries desperate patients who can’t afford cannabis could go to the street looking for illicit marijuana, and that could be a health risk.”I’m going to encourage our dispensaries and our brands, ‘Please, let’s work together to find a way to lower the price for our patients,'” Calhoun said.Some believe prices could drop when large out-of-state companies open more dispensaries in Mississippi.
With dispensaries opening across Mississippi, the state’s medical cannabis program is now in full swing. But there are still some bumps in the road.
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Medical marijuana may not be a cure-all, but it could bring relief to thousands of Mississippians suffering from diseases that cause chronic pain.
“I really noticed since I’ve been medicating, just with this medical cannabis in Mississippi, I mean, my life quality has really, really improved,” said cannabis patient Joshua Gee.
People who suffer from more than two dozen qualifying conditions now have access to the state’s new medical cannabis program.
“I’m grateful to the legislature for getting this, you know, up and going and available to us patients,” said cannabis patient Stephanie Gray.
But some patients are having a hard time finding help.
“At the end of January, we had over 10,000 patients searching our website for information about medical cannabis cards, practitioners and dispensaries,” said Angie Calhoun, with the Mississippi Cannabis Patients Alliance.
Calhoun said there are more than 100 practitioners across the state, but it’s not easy for patients to find one of those practitioners.
“What we need is our practitioners to really promote themselves,” Calhoun said. “Because most of our patients think that any practitioner can certify them for medical cannabis, and that’s just not the case.”
According to state law, a medical practitioner must first take an eight-hour course and get certified by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Only then can they issue a written certification to a patient who wants a cannabis card.
Another big drawback is cost.
“I’m getting a lot of emails from patients saying the prices are really too high for them to afford,” Calhoun said.
Patients like Gee, who was diagnosed with PTSD years ago after serving in the Iraq war.
“I have three different types of insurance and I still have to pay out of pocket,” Gee said.
Neither private insurance nor Medicaid or Medicare will pay for medical cannabis. Calhoun said dispensaries are charging anywhere from $35 to $65 for a single unit.
“And so, when we break this down, we’re looking at, you know, on the higher end
that’s $30 a day for a person to use medical cannabis, which, you know, that comes up to over $1,500 a month,” Calhoun said.
“And that’s absurd. I mean, we’re talking about people with disabilities that are so detrimental to their daily life and the bad things they may experience that they can’t work. So, I honestly don’t know how people are going to be able to afford it at that price,” Gee said.
Calhoun worries desperate patients who can’t afford cannabis could go to the street looking for illicit marijuana, and that could be a health risk.
“I’m going to encourage our dispensaries and our brands, ‘Please, let’s work together to find a way to lower the price for our patients,'” Calhoun said.
Some believe prices could drop when large out-of-state companies open more dispensaries in Mississippi.
