Cannabis Law: General Information Overview from the Mississippi Department of Health
The Mississippi Department of Health is in the process of writing and implementing regulations for the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Program. Since February 2021, the Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee has been meeting to discuss these regulations.
This advisory committee has stated several main objectives:
- Enable distribution of medical cannabis consistent with State Constitution.
- Protect vulnerable populations, such as youth and pregnant women.
- Mitigate community impact.
- Ensure compliance (prevent fraud/unintended effects).
- Develop a process to communicate with the public
- Prevent drug diversion.
- Prevent criminal involvement.
- Minimize equity issues.
- Prevent substance abuse/adverse consequences.
- Ensure fiscal sustainability.
- Ensure product safety.
The Mississippi Department of Health and the advisory committee have also released a tentative timeline.
MSDH Timeline
- November 2020 – May 2021
- Research and planning
- December 2020 – March 2021
- Seed-to-sale and licensing software
- February 2021 – September 2021
- Advisory committee
- February 2021 – March 2021
- Lab/testing regulations
- February 2021 – May 2021
- Tracking and labeling regulations
- Treatment center processing regulations
- Medical Cannabis patient registration regulations
- Utilization in nursing home, hospice, assisted living regulations
- Interstate agreement regulations
- Qualifications for caregivers, owners, operator regulations
- Patient database regulations
- Advertising and marketing regulations
- July 2021
- Regulations approved by July 1
- August 2021
- Cards and licenses issued by August 15
For more information, click here to view the informational slides from the experts at Hagwood and Tipton.