After more than a year of debate, Mississippi lawmakers have agreed to legalize medical cannabis. On Wednesday, February 2, the governor signed the authorization, which automatically entered into force. Locals expect the first cannabis dispensaries to open within the next few months.
Mississippi is the 37th state to legalize medical cannabis in the United States.
“The medical marijuana bill has consumed an enormous amount of space on the front pages of the legacy media outlets across Mississippi over the last 3+ years. There is no doubt that there are individuals in our state who could do significantly better if they had access to medically prescribed doses of cannabis. There are also those who really want a recreational marijuana program that could lead to more people smoking and less people working, with all of the societal and family ills that that brings,” wrote Republican Gov Tate Reeves in a statement posted to Twitter.
“I have made it clear that the bill on my desk is not the one that I would have written. But it is a fact that the legislators who wrote the final version of the bill (the 45th or 46th draft) made significant improvements to get us towards accomplishing the ultimate goal,” he added.
“For all the people who are affected in one way or another by a loved one or someone they know who benefits from medical cannabis, it gives them a quality of life back,” said the executive director of the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association, an association fighting for the legalization of cannabis
However, the medical cannabis law has limitations as Jax James, NORML’s National Policy Manager, explained: “We remain concerned that lawmakers have seen fit to add unnecessary taxes on cannabis products. Patients are not allowed to grow unlimited amounts of cannabis at home for personal use, and people with chronic pain can only access cannabis products after using more dangerous and addictive substances like opioids.”
State regulators have 60 days to issue access cards to eligible patients.
As for the dispensaries, the future managers will receive licenses within the next six months.
The law will allow eligible patients to purchase up to 3.5 grams of cannabis flower and up to 1 gram of cannabis concentrate per day from licensed dispensaries. The maximum amount of cannabis has been limited to 84 grams per month. Flowers cannot exceed 30% of THC, and concentrated products will be limited to 60% of THC. All purchases will be subject to 7% state sales tax and an additional 5% excise tax.
