We all deserve a congratulations! It’s official that medical marijuana will finally be available for patients who qualify for a Mississippi Marijuana Card.
You’re probably wondering when you will be able to put your card to use, to actually walk into a dispensary and purchase medical marijuana. There are a lot of details to be worked out, so anything can happen, but we think the state’s program will be up and running by the end of 2022!
Mississippi Has Waited Long Enough for Medical Marijuana
Waiting another year for medical marijuana may try the patience of some Mississippians. After all, it has been more than a year since Magnolia State voters overwhelmingly supported medical marijuana in the November 2020 election.
Since then, we’ve seen the will of the voters delayed. A state Supreme Court robbed Mississippians the ability to directly influence their state’s laws, and then the delaying and stalling by Governor Tate Reeves.
So understandably, Mississippians are impatient for the relief they demanded back in November 2020. Establishing a medical marijuana program doesn’t stop with passing a law, as there is a lot of work to do before dispensary doors can open here.
Much Still to Be Done Before Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Open in Mississippi
Before Mississippi can have a fully functioning medical marijuana program, details of the rules and regulations have to be finalized. The three major divisions of the program that have to be tackled are the issuing of Mississippi Marijuana Cards, the growing of the medicine, and the selling of the medicine in dispensaries.
And complicating that task further is all of the businesses that are involved in the production of medical marijuana.
Mississippi Department of Health Must License Several Types of Medical Marijuana Businesses
According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, they must create and oversee licensing procedures for five kinds of medical marijuana businesses just to get medicine from farmers to dispensary shelves. These include:
Cannabis testing and research facilities
Cannabis cultivation facilities
Cannabis processing facilities
Cannabis transportation entities
Cannabis disposal entities
The preliminary work in establishing a medical marijuana program doesn’t stop there. The Department of Health must also create and oversee licensing procedures for doctors, patients, and caregivers, as well as regulations for the hiring and training of dispensary employees.
It’s all a part of what the state calls its “seed-to-sale” system, in which the state monitors medical marijuana through all stages of its journey in an effort to ensure the medicine is both safe and distributed only to the appropriate parties.
Of course, to people already fed up with the long, unfair wait they’ve had to endure, all of this might seem like unnecessary, big-government red tape, especially considering these regulations and oversight are going to inevitably lead patients to paying a higher price at the dispensary.
Getting What You Pay For: Medical Marijuana Costs More Because It Does More
While it would be great if we could get the benefits of medical marijuana without the extra cost of government bureaucracy and oversight, those regulations are what elevates medical marijuana. Yes, it costs more than street marijuana, but you get what you pay for.
Beyond the quality assurance and knowing what chemicals have been used on your medicine, Mississippi Marijuana Card holders will have the advantage of knowing the exact compositions and strains of the cannabis they purchase. Selecting specific strains allows you and your doctor to match your condition to the perfectly right medicine for you.
You might be able to buy cheaper marijuana on the street, but you wouldn’t have the peace of mind of knowing exactly what you are putting in your body. You can always ask your illegal dealer to vouchsafe for the quality and chemical composition of their products, but, spoiler alert, drug dealers aren’t renowned for their honesty.
As Ronald Reagan famously said, “Trust but verify”. Every step of the way, from seed-to-sale, Mississippi’s medical marijuana providers are required to provide transparency so the Department of Health can verify.
Part of that verification involves rigorous background checks, so you can be sure only qualified people are producing your medicine. That won’t happen with street drugs, in fact, you never know what you’re getting or who you’re getting it from.
Plus, by forcing patients to interact with physicians and pharmacists, the MMMA helps assure you’ll get the most medical value out of their medical marijuana.
So When Exactly Will Medical Marijuana Come to Mississippi?
Despite all of the work to be done, the Department of Health “anticipates that products will become available to patients in late 2022.”
Within the next ten months, the Department of Health will: create processes to license marijuana businesses; award those licenses; create processes to oversee and license marijuana doctors and patients; award those licenses; and create processes to oversee and regulate every step of the production of medical marijuana, from seed-to-sale.
Of course a lot can go wrong over the course of ten months, especially with so many moving parts involved in creating a medical marijuana market. Nevertheless, you’re on the five yard line, Mississippi. Marijuana was first banned in the United States back in 1937, eighty-five years ago. Mississippi voters chose medical marijuana more than a year ago, and now here we are. You’re less than a year away, give or take, from medical marijuana dispensaries opening their doors!
You’ve waited a long time, Mississippi, but now your wait is almost over! We’ll say it again: Congratulations, everyone.
It’s Time to Get Ready… It’s Time to Get a Mississippi Marijuana Card
The relief you’ve been wanting for so long is just around the corner. Why wait any longer than necessary to prepare for its arrival?
Reserve an evaluation online today, and we’ll book an appointment for you with one of our knowledgeable, compassionate doctors as soon as Mississippi’s medical marijuana market is up and running!
You’ll meet with your new doctor virtually, using your smartphone or computer, for a telemedicine appointment. You will discuss your conditions, what medical marijuana might be able to do for you, and whether you qualify for a Mississippi Marijuana Card, all without even leaving your home. You’ll even save $25 off the cost of the evaluation!
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
Helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at (833) 781-6635, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!