How Do I Get a Mississippi Medical Marijuana Card?
Contact a Licensed Healthcare Provider in Mississippi
Your first goal is to locate a medical professional willing to provide certification. In Mississippi, you can use a physician, optometrist, or certified nurse practitioner to give you a written recommendation for MMJ.
Please note that medical professionals cannot provide certification unless they complete eight hours of education on medical marijuana. They must also complete an extra five hours of training per annum. Finally, once they provide a written certification, they must conduct a follow-up consultation with the patient within six months to determine how effective MMJ is proving.
You may find locating a willing medical professional in MS challenging since the medical marijuana program is new. However, MMJCardOnline makes it easy for you by pointing you toward a cannabis-friendly physician.
Schedule a Consultation
Once you have found a suitable medical professional, it is time to book an appointment and discuss your use of MMJ. The physician will complete a physical exam and ask about your medical issue. You must explain why you feel medical marijuana will help.
It is a good idea to point out that conventional treatments have proven ineffective. After a short consultation, the doctor will decide whether you’re eligible for MMJ. If they think you are, they’ll give you a written recommendation, enabling you to complete your medical marijuana application.
Submit Your Application Online
With the written recommendation in your possession, completing your application online on the Mississippi State Department of Health’s (MSDH) official website is next. The portal is easy enough to navigate, but the MSDH site offers a registration guide if you have problems.
Please note that you only have 60 days to submit your application once you have the written certification from a medical professional. If the state approves your application, it will send you an electronic ID card. Only then are you legally allowed to buy medical marijuana in Mississippi.
How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Mississippi
- A Step-by-Step Guide
- Check the qualifying medical conditions to ensure you’re eligible
- Take note of Mississippi’s other eligibility criteria
- Look for a licensed physician, certified nurse practitioner, or optometrist that’s willing to provide a written recommendation for MMJ
- Schedule a consultation and bring your medical records
- Talk to the doctor about why you believe medical marijuana could prove useful for your condition
- If you receive the written certification, sign up for an MS government account and complete the online MMJ application
- If approved, you’ll receive an electronic ID card which you can use to buy medical marijuana in a licensed Mississippi dispensary
Mississippi Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
Like other states with medical marijuana programs in the United States, Mississippi has certain criteria that applicants must meet to qualify for an MMJ card:
- You must have one of the qualifying conditions outlined below
- You must be aged 18+
- You must be a resident of the state
Patient Qualifying Conditions
At present, there are well over 20 qualifying conditions, and the state may yet add more:
- ALS
- Autism (with aggressive or self-injurious behaviors)
- Cancer
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Hepatitis
- Huntingdon’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Diabetic/peripheral neuropathy
- PTSD
- HIV/AIDS
- Pain refractory to the appropriate management of opioids
- Intractable nausea
- Spinal cord disease or severe injury
- Sickle-cell anemia
- Spastic quadriplegia
- Severe muscle spasticity
- Ulcerative colitis
- Glaucoma
- Agitation of dementia
- Chronic/debilitating pain
- Epilepsy or seizures
- Muscular dystrophy
General Guidelines
Hopefully, you have enough information on qualifying conditions and the application process to help you get started. However, the following section includes useful details surrounding the different facets of the MS medical marijuana program.
Medical Marijuana Card Renewal in Mississippi
In Mississippi, the medical marijuana card is valid for a year. You need to begin the renewal process well before your card expires if you want to retain the legal protection it affords you. The renewal process involves getting another certification from a licensed physician and completing additional paperwork online.
Caregiver Rules
In Mississippi, MMJ patients can choose a primary caregiver to help them buy and possess marijuana on their behalf. Caregiver applicants must pay a $25 application fee and $37 for a criminal background check. You must be aged 21+ and have no disqualifying felony offenses to become a caregiver in MS.
A Brief History of Cannabis in Mississippi
Although Mississippi has a reputation for being anti-marijuana, it was among the first American states in the modern era to decriminalize the possession of small amounts. However, numerous efforts to bring MMJ to the Magnolia State failed. That is, until November 2020, when voters said “yes” to Measure 65.
Alas, anti-marijuana campaigners tried to cling to a legal loophole to get the law overturned. They were successful in this mission, with the Mississippi Supreme Court nullifying Measure 65. Their success was short-lived, as lawmakers brought SB 2095 to the table. Governor Tate Reeves signed it into law in February 2022, legalizing MMJ in Mississippi. Legal sales officially began in January 2023.
Mississippi Medical Marijuana Laws and Rules
The state’s decriminalization of marijuana means you’re not arrested if caught in possession of under 30 grams without an MMJ card. However, a second offense is a misdemeanor that carries up to 60 days in prison.
Possessing over 30 grams is a felony; if convicted, you could spend up to three years in jail. The penalties for selling any amount are similar as it is also a felony crime in MS.
In Mississippi, the punishment for growing marijuana illegally is based on the aggregate weight of the plants found. Since possessing 30+ grams is a felony, even growing one plant is enough to put you behind bars for several years. The possible jail term for possessing or growing 250+ grams of marijuana is eight years!
What Types of Cannabis Products Can I Purchase in MS?
You can purchase tinctures, concentrates, oils, and marijuana flower. Please note that Mississippi dispensaries can’t sell products with a THC concentration of over 60%. Furthermore, the limit for marijuana flower is 30%.
How Much Cannabis Can I Buy & Possess?
The Mississippi MMJ program quantifies a gram of cannabis concentrate, 3.5 grams of flower, or 100mg of THC infused in products as a Mississippi Medical Cannabis Equivalency Unit (MMCEU). Cardholders can buy up to six units per week, the equivalent of 21 grams of marijuana flower. The monthly purchasing limit is 24 units or 84 grams of marijuana flower.
The maximum possession limit is 28 units or 98 grams of dry flower.
It is important to note that you can only use your MMJ in a private residence. Smoking and vaping marijuana in public are illegal acts.
Where Can I LEGALLY Purchase MMJ in Mississippi?
Since sales only began with a handful of dispensaries in January 2023, MMJ patients may need to wait for more convenient locations. However, the state issued provisional licenses to 138 dispensaries. If a majority of these businesses open up stores, it should prove relatively easy to find medical marijuana in Mississippi.
Can I Take My MMJ to a Different State?
No. It is a federal crime to bring marijuana across state lines. Mississippi MMJ cardholders may have the chance to buy the substance in another state if it has a reciprocity agreement. Also, out-of-state MMJ cardholders can register to buy marijuana in MS for a 15-day period. They can complete this process twice per calendar year and buy up to 6 units every 6 days or 12 units every 15 days. The possession limit is 14 units. However, out-of-state patients must register with the MMCP and produce certain documentation.
Can I Grow MMJ in Mississippi?
No. It remains illegal to grow marijuana at home in Mississippi, even if you have a medical marijuana card.
FAQ About Getting an MMJ Card in Mississippi
The MSDH claims that MMJ patients will have their applications processed within five days.
If the doctor we point you towards doesn’t provide you with a written certification, we’ll give you a full refund. However, we should let you know that our users enjoy a high approval rate!
The application fee is $25, and it could cost up to $200 for a doctor’s consultation. Book with MMJCardOnline, and you could pay a little less than this!
Yes, but it is a more complicated process than what adults face. Residents of MS aged 17 and under can apply for a medical marijuana card with the permission of a parent or legal guardian. Please note that only doctors of medicine or osteopathic medicine can provide written certification for minors. Also, patients aged 18 to 23 require written certifications from two medical professionals working in different practices. Such patients must also complete full consultations with both medical professionals, at least one of whom must be a doctor of medicine. Finally, MMJ patients aged 20 or under can only enter a licensed dispensary with a parent or legal guardian.