HOW TO GET A MISSISSIPPI CULTIVATION LICENSE
Updated February 2022
Mississippi became the 37th state that legalized medical marijuana thanks to its medical marijuana initiative! Get ready to learn all about Mississippi Weed Laws as we discuss how to get your marijuana business license in Mississippi!
The people in Mississippi will be able to apply for a Mississippi marijuana growers license and start operating in the state very soon. In that sense, this post is dedicated to knowing how to grow medical marijuana in Mississippi.
Mississippi voters approved medical marijuana Initiative 65 on 2020 after approving Ballot Measure 1 to allow medical marijuana by about 68% of the vote – 32% against. A huge vote for public health by the people. Since then, the Mississippi legislature has taken further action to ensure its medical program provides for debilitating medical conditions after the state supreme court invalidated certain aspects of the medical marijuana laws.
Gov. Tate Reeves pushed legislators on possession limits for cannabis products but the governor signed the legislature’s bill when they threatened to override his veto. After approving the ballot measure, the votes picked Initiative 65 with about 74% of the vote calling for medical cannabis dispensaries.
Debilitating medical conditions for Mississippi Medical Marijuana include:
- human immunodeficiency virus
- severe injury
- persistent muscle spasms
- sickle cell disease
- acquired immune deficiency syndrome
- post traumatic stress disorder
It proposes to amend the Mississippi Constitution to allow qualified patients with debilitating medical conditions, as certified by Mississippi licensed physicians, to use medical marijuana. This amendment would allow medical marijuana to be provided only by a state health department licensed medical cannabis establishment.
The Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, as it is now known, is headed to Gov. Tate Reeves with supermajority approval in both the House and Senate. The House enacted a version of the act that slightly modified the altered version that the House sent back to the Senate on January 19, 2022, by a vote of 103-13.
Gov. Reeves has the option of signing the bill into law, allowing it to sit for five days, after which it would become law, or vetoing the bill, which will almost certainly be overturned by the act’s supermajority support in both chambers of the legislature. Medical marijuana is officially legal in Mississippi, unless there is a dramatic turn of events in the near future.
A full version of the act, passed in the form of a conference committee report, is here.
RELATED POST: MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS
RELATED POST: HOW TO GET YOUR MARIJUANA LICENSE IN SOUTH DAKOTA
When are Marijuana Business License Applications Open in Mississippi
Mississippi is required to open the application window for most cannabis licenses within 120 days of the bill’s enactment so that medical marijuana facilities can get licensed. As a result, by the end of June, Mississippi will begin accepting applications for medicinal cannabis business licenses. However, licenses for medical cannabis dispensaries will begin to be issued after 150 days.
Types of Marijuana Business Licenses to Apply in Mississippi:
The Mississippi Department of Health is in charge of issuing all of the license types except for medical cannabis dispensary licenses, which will be issued by the Mississippi Department of Revenue. In total there are 9 types of cannabis business licenses available:
- cannabis cultivation facilities
- Micro-cultivation (two tiers)
- Processing
- Micro-processing (two tiers)
- Dispensaries
- Transportation
- Disposal
- Research
- Testing
How Many Marijuana Business Licenses in Mississippi?
Mississippi didn’t set a statewide capped number of licenses for medical cannabis establishments, contrary to many other states in the United States like Illinois and Arizona. The Mississippi state health department will set rules to govern cannabis cultivation facilities and the medical cannabis program in the state. The state health department will help medical practitioners create a medical cannabis program that provides for a safe and accessible program.
Taxes in Mississippi for Marijuana
According to the state’s secretary of state website:
A Mississippi sales tax of 7% will be collected upon every sale, except sales for cannabis sold for medicinal purposes and for industrial hemp which will be exempt from taxation. Sales License Fees and annual locality fees are to be retained by the locality.
Mississippi Medical Marijuana Act:
Can Municipalities Ban Marijuana Businesses in Mississippi?
No town or county government can ban a medical marijuana business from operating in the municipality or county unless the medical marijuana business is within 500 feet of a church or school, according to the constitutional amendment passed by Initiative 65.
In reality, the Initiative specifies that a medicinal marijuana business can operate in any location where a pharmacy is permitted. Also, pay attention to municipal regulations, some cities will have rules that can be more beneficial or very restrictive for your business. Be sure you are assisted when choosing your location
How to Start Preparing My Marijuana Business License Application
First of all, you need the right cannabis business plan. As part of the program, you will clarify what kind of dispensary you want to open, how long you plan to operate in Mississippi, and what the main points of your business are.
If you are starting your cannabis business and want more focus, we recommend our pitch deck course, it would be a great opportunity for you to start envisioning your cannabis dispensary.
When applying for a cannabis license in Mississippi or any state, the most important part of the process is going with the regulations when it comes to the application form. It is always smart to consult an attorney about the regulations in a specific state.
Key Points on Mississippi Initiative 65
Initiative 65 passed by about 68% of the vote – 32% against. After approving the ballot measure, the votes picked Initiative 65 with about 74% of the vote.
Not all the laws are the same across the US states, but most of them fall under the same category. Next, remember that application requirements, data required, and specific information about your business should always be carefully prepared when you apply for a dispensary license.
If you are not sure how to make your application complete, then contact our offices for the right attorney who will help you create the right plan for your application process when you want to open a cannabis dispensary in Mississippi.
Home grow?
- NO
Social Equity for medical cannabis establishments?
Bare Minimum Criteria Towards Restorative Justice:
- Expungement? NO
- Social Equity Provisions? NO
- Portion of Taxes Allocated to Impacted Communities? No
Possession Limits
- Up to 1 oz of flower or 8 grams of concentrate
License Windows
- They will begin accepting applications by the end of June, 2022.
License Types:
- Cultivation (six tiers)
- Micro-cultivation (two tiers)
- Processing
- Micro-processing (two tiers)
- Dispensaries
- Transportation
- Disposal
- Research
- Testing
Here are some updates on Mississippi Cannabis Legalization
- Mississippi Officials Condemn Medical Marijuana Lawsuit In State Supreme Court Filing
- State health department in ‘planing stages’ of developing medical marijuana program
- Trump Campaign Orders Mississippi Medical Marijuana Activists To Cease Using President’s Name
- Initiative 65 vs Alternative 65A
For more check out our Marijuana Legalization Map
Don’t miss out on our Marijuana Legalization Map where you can browse the current status of laws in every state in the United States and see all our posts on each of them
