Due to voter approval, Mississippi’s decision to legalize medical marijuana has become law. Despite this development, the issue of Mississippi MMJ laws and how to get a medical marijuana card in Mississippi is a concern for potential patients. How do you even get a medical marijuana card in MS?
Don’t worry. Today, we’ll explain everything about Mississippi’s medical marijuana program, including who is eligible, where to obtain MMJ, and how to apply for a medical marijuana card.
Is Medical Marijuana Legal in Mississippi?
Yes, medical marijuana is now legal in the Magnolia state. Despite previous legalization difficulties in the state, voters passed Initiative 65 on Nov. 3, 2020 — more than 70% of voters said yes.
However, the Mississippi Supreme Court found the measure unconstitutional on May 14, 2021, and the Mississippi legislature started working on a medicinal marijuana bill.
The legislature passed Senate Bill 2095, the “Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act,” on Jan. 26, 2022.
On Feb. 2, 2022, Gov. Tate Reeves signed the legislation, making Mississippi the 37th state to legalize medical marijuana.
Knowing who qualifies and how to obtain a medical marijuana card can benefit patients who require MMJ now that MMJ is legal and the state has created the program’s regulations.
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) oversees the medicinal cannabis program. The MSDH is also in charge of granting ID cards to patients, licensing medical marijuana distributors and producers, and licensing patient caregivers.
It’s good to know that, while having a lot of control over licensing costs and other requirements, MSDH cannot limit the number of licensed farmers and dispensaries. The amendment also states that MSDH is not permitted to control MMJ prices.
By the end of 2022, patients will be able to purchase MMJ and other cannabis products from regulated dispensaries.
However, applications for licensure and registration are now open for:
- Patients and caregivers: for the use of medical cannabis as prescribed by a medical professional
- Medical practitioners: must certify patients for medical cannabis use
- Facilities: cannabis cultivation, processing, and testing
- Services: cannabis transportation and waste disposal
- Dispensaries: cannabis businesses
How to Qualify for Medical Marijuana in MS
If you’re a patient looking to get a medical card in Mississippi, the MSDH has laid down directions that qualify you to apply.
The steps to follow before you apply for certification include the following:
- Visiting a physician, nurse, or optometrist licensed for the medical cannabis program.
- The medical professional will then rule that you have a qualifying medical condition and register your certification for MMJ use with the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program.
- Within 60 days of the medical professional’s certification, you can submit your application to participate in the medical cannabis program.
If any of this sounds confusing, don’t worry! Here at Elevate Holistics, we make getting your medical marijuana card effortless. We’ll work with you one-on-one (digitally, of course) to ensure that you qualify for an MS MMJ card.
To learn more about our services in Mississippi, click here.
Qualifying Conditions for an MMJ Card in Mississippi
If you’re wondering what medical conditions qualify you to use MMJ in Mississippi, here are the 22 qualifying medical conditions for marijuana patients:
- Agitation from dementia
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Autism with aggressive or self-injurious behaviors
- Cachexia (weakness and wasting due to chronic illness)
- Cancer
- Chronic or debilitating pain
- Crohn’s Disease
- Epilepsy or other seizures
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis
- HIV+ or AIDS
- Huntington’s disease
- Intractable nausea
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Pain refractory to appropriate opioid management
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Severe muscle spasticity
- Sickle-cell anemia
- Spinal cord disease or severe injury
- Ulcerative colitis
- Other conditions where a physician believes the benefits of marijuana would outweigh the risks.
How Do I Get a Medical Cannabis Card in MS?
The MSDH guidelines require a medical specialist’s confirmation before issuing a patient a medical cannabis card. To begin this process, the patient must have one of the 22 medical problems listed above.
Your physician will register you for the medicinal cannabis program after you have been certified. This entitles you to an identity card from the MSDH. The medical card is $25 in price.
Patients with MSDH’s approval can acquire MMJ from a licensed treatment center (dispensaries).
Once qualified, patients may buy up to 3.5 grams of cannabis flower or one gram of cannabis concentrate daily from licensed dispensaries.
Note: A patient can only purchase three ounces of cannabis flower per month.
How Can I Consume MMJ in Mississippi?
Patients can use MMJ products as directed by a medical expert, including cannabis flowers, cannabis extracts, edible cannabis products, drinks, topical applications, ointments, oils, tinctures, and suppositories. A patient can also consume these items through smoking, dabbing, ingesting, or vaping.
The laws, however, include measures for businesses that do not exclude them from accommodating an employee’s use of medicinal marijuana, adopting a drug testing policy, penalizing an employee who uses MMJ in the workplace, or recruiting and terminating an employee for MMJ use.
Furthermore, the restrictions prohibit smoking or vaping medicinal cannabis in public places or on motor vehicles. When consuming medicinal cannabis, it is illegal to operate, navigate, or be physically in control of any motor vehicle, boat, or conveyance machine.
Mississippi Marijuana Reciprocity
The MSDH regulations provide for visiting patients with any of the qualifying conditions. Before arriving in Mississippi, patients can apply for a non-resident ID card from their home state for up to 30 days.
The cards are good for 15 days and can be renewed for two more 15-day periods every 365 days. Non-residents can purchase the daily limit (3.5 grams of flower, 1 gram of concentrate, or 100 milligrams of THC in an infused product).
Visitors are also eligible to possess a maximum of 49 grams.
Where Do I Go for MMJ in Mississippi?
For Mississippi residents asking, “Are there dispensaries near me?” In Mississippi, dispensaries are referred to as treatment centers.
So far, the MSDH has approved a list of dispensaries on their website.
Can you now buy medical marijuana from a dispensary in Mississippi? Although it is now legal, it is not yet available for purchase.
As we’ve mentioned, cultivation and safety testing are underway, and according to the MSDH, the direct purchase of MMJ will not be possible until late 2022.
For the time being, only licensed growers are allowed to cultivate MMJ since legislation permitting Mississippi patients to grow MMJ at home is still in the works.
Does My State Have Medical Marijuana Doctors?
Yes, the Mississippi marijuana law states that a patient’s MMJ evaluation must be done by a primary care practitioner with whom the patient has a known relationship. Another condition is that patients undergo in-person assessments.
The Mississippi marijuana card also provides medicinal marijuana assessments via telemedicine sessions. This means that physicians can assess and recommend medical marijuana treatment for patients in Mississippi from the safety and comfort of their homes.
If you aren’t sure you have a certified physician in your area that’s comfortable with cannabis, head to Elevate Holistics instead. We’re licensed to service new Mississippi patients, and our MMJ doctors are happy to help.
Ease into the New Mississippi With Elevate Holistics
Navigating marijuana regulations can prove challenging, primarily when a state has recently implemented them.
At Elevate Holistics, we make it our job to ease your journey into enjoying the benefits of MMJ without the pitfalls of new laws.
We’ve tailored our services to assist you at any point on your MMJ journey. Once MS’s MMJ program is fully in swing, with Elevate Holistics, you can get your medical marijuana card in Mississippi, set up personalized health and wellness plans, or even get a CBD consultation.
Want to know more about getting a Mississippi MMJ card or participating in the Mississippi medical marijuana program? Click the link below to learn more and join the 50,000+ patients who trust Elevate Holistics.
Medical Marijuana in Mississippi
PS. Once patients can start getting MS MMJ cards, we’ll be the first to let you know! Then, you can complete the process right from home.
