The State of Mississippi recently introduced its new medical marijuana license portal, and its popularity is quickly growing.
After only a week since the portal's launch date, The Department of Health has reported over 1800 patient registrations.
What Is the New Medical Marijuana License Portal?
Basically, the portal is the first step Mississippi residents can take in order to receive their own medical marijuana card. The portal also serves as a first step for medical establishments to become certified providers and for facilities to become licensed to grow marijuana.
Even dispensaries can register for the license portal in hopes of becoming licensed to transport marijuana. That’s right – medical marijuana delivery.
Mississippi residents who hope to open their own dispensaries do not register through this portal. Dispensary applications will be overseen and decided on by the Mississippi Department of Revenue, who anticipate accepting applications as soon as July 1.
How Does It Work?
Prospective patients, medical professionals, and medical institutions can register on the portal now, which includes setting up an account and starting the application process.
Applications will then be considered by the Department of Health, and doctor’s applications will be processed within 30 days.
Patients who apply can expect to have their applications processed and medical marijuana available for purchase within 6 months.
When Will Mississippi’s Medical Marijuana Program Become Active?
Although progress has surely been made with the launch of the license portal, the Mississippi medical marijuana program is still in its early stages.
The Office of Health Protection predicts the program will be up and running by the end of the year.
Limitations
The State of Mississippi holds that they will not allow medical marijuana companies to advertise on social media.
Jim Craig, the director of the Office of Health Protection, says this is due to lawmakers not wanting to make medical marijuana seem attractive to children. As far as marketing goes, businesses will be limited to making only a website and logo.
Although the medical marijuana program was put into place by the state government, individual cities will still be able to decide whether or not they will participate.
More than 24 cities have already opted out of the program, which means that medical marijuana businesses will not be allowed to operate in those cities.
Patients who are residents of cities who opted out will still be able to apply for and receive their medical marijuana card, purchase the medicine, and use it, but they will have to purchase it elsewhere.
What Does This Mean for the United States?
The state of Mississippi implementing this medical marijuana program is a sign of great progress. As of now, 37 states and the District of Columbia, or 74% of the country, have already put similar medical marijuana programs into practice.
The amount of progress our country has made combined with the level of proven voter support shows great promise for medical marijuana becoming legal at the federal level.
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