MISSISSIPPI CANNABIS PROGRAM

MISSISSIPPI
Licenses Available

STATE STATUS

Medical marijuana is legal in Mississippi; registered patients may access medical marijuana through licensed medical marijuana businesses that can grow, process/manufacture, and/or dispense medical marijuana. On January 26th, 2022, Mississippi Legislature approved Senate Bill 2095, which allows for a medical marijuana program in Mississippi for qualifying patients to access medical marijuana through state licensed businesses. It was signed into law by Governor Tate Reeves on February 2nd, 2022, with the act going into effect immediately.

Learn more about how to get a Mississippi medical marijuana business license or schedule a complimentary consultation with our licensing expert below.

Hemp

Yes

Medical Marijuana

Yes

Adult Use

No

When to Apply

2022

News

NUMBER OF MISSISSIPPI CANNABIS BUSINESS LICENSES AVAILABLE

Mississippi Medical Marijuana Business Licenses under Senate Bill 2095:

The cannabis cultivation facility license application fee shall be subject to the following tiers:

Micro-cultivators: a business entity licensed and registered by the Mississippi Department of Health that acquires, grows, cultivates, and harvests medical cannabis in an indoor, enclosed, locked, and secure area.

  • Tier 1.  A cannabis cultivation facility with a canopy of one thousand (1,000) square feet or less shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00).  The annual license fee shall be a non-refundable fee of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00).
  • Tier 2.  A cannabis cultivation facility with a canopy of more than one thousand (1,000) square feet but not more than two thousand (2,000) square feet shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Three Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($3,500.00).

 

Cultivators: a business entity licensed and registered by the Mississippi Department of Health that acquires, grows, cultivates, and harvests medical cannabis in an indoor, enclosed, locked, and secure area.

  • Tier 1. A cannabis cultivation facility with a canopy of not less than two thousand (2,000) square feet but not more than five thousand (5,000) square feet shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00).
  • Tier 2. A cannabis cultivation facility with a canopy of not less than five thousand (5,000) square feet but not more than fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00).
  • Tier 3. A cannabis cultivation facility with a canopy of not less than fifteen thousand (15,000) square feet but not more than thirty thousand (30,000) square feet shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00).
  • Tier 4. A cannabis cultivation facility with a canopy of not less than thirty thousand (30,000) square feet but not more than sixty thousand (60,000) square feet shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00).
  • Tier 5.  A cannabis cultivation facility with a canopy of not less than sixty thousand (60,000) square feet but not more than one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00).
  • Tier 6. A cannabis cultivation facility with a canopy of one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet or more shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable liense application fee of Sixty Thousand Dollars ($60,000.00). The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00).

The cannabis processing facility license application fee shall be subject to the following tiers:

Micro-processors: a business entity that is licensed and registered by the Mississippi Department of Health that: Acquires or intends to acquire cannabis from a cannabis cultivation facility; Possesses cannabis with the intent to manufacture a cannabis product; Manufactures or intends to manufacture a cannabis product from unprocessed cannabis or a cannabis extract; and Sells or intends to sell a cannabis product to a medical cannabis dispensary, cannabis testing facility or cannabis research facility.

  • Tier 1.  A cannabis processing facility that processes less than two thousand (2,000) pounds of dried biomass cannabis material annually shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Three Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($3,500.00).
  • Tier 2.  A cannabis processing facility that processes not less than two thousand (2,000) pounds but less than three thousand (3,000) pounds of dried biomass cannabis material annually shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).

 

Processors: a business entity that is licensed and registered by the Mississippi Department of Health that: Acquires or intends to acquire cannabis from a cannabis cultivation facility; Possesses cannabis with the intent to manufacture a cannabis product; Manufactures or intends to manufacture a cannabis product from unprocessed cannabis or a cannabis extract; and Sells or intends to sell a cannabis product to a medical cannabis dispensary, cannabis testing facility or cannabis research facility.

  • A cannabis processing facility that processes not less than three thousand (3,000) pounds of biomass cannabis material annually shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00).

Medical cannabis dispensary: an entity licensed and registered with the MDOR that acquires, possesses, stores, transfers, sells, supplies, or dispenses medical cannabis, equipment used for medical cannabis, or related supplies and educational materials to cardholders.

  • Shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable license application fee of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00).

Cannabis transportation entities: independent entities licensed and registered by the Mississippi Department of Health involved in the commercial transportation of medical cannabis.

  • Shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable application fee of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500.00).

Cannabis disposal entities: a business licensed and registered by the Mississippi Department of Health involved in the commercial disposal or destruction of medical cannabis.

  • Shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable application fee of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).  The annual license fee shall be a nonrefundable fee of Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500.00).

 

Cannabis testing facilities: an independent entity licensed and registered by the Mississippi Department of Health that analyzes the safety and potency of cannabis.

  • Shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable application fee of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) and an annual license fee of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00).  A cannabis testing facility shall not employ an agent or employee who also is employed or has ownership at any other medical cannabis establishment.

Cannabis research facilities: means a research facility at any university or college in this state or an independent entity licensed and registered by the  Mississippi Department of Health under this chapter that acquires cannabis from cannabis cultivation facilities and cannabis processing facilities to research cannabis, develop best practices for specific medical conditions, develop medicines and provide commercial access for medical use.

  • Shall be subject to a one-time non-refundable application fee of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) and an annual license fee of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00).  A research facility at any university or college in this state shall be exempt from all fees imposed under this section.

–       No individual or business entity shall have direct or indirect ownership or economic interest of greater than ten percent (10%) in:

·      More than one (1) cannabis cultivation facility license;

·      More than one (1) cannabis processing facility license; and

·      More than five (5) medical cannabis dispensary licenses.

HOW TO START A MARIJUANA BUSINESS IN MISSISSIPPI

We encourage those interested in starting a marijuana business, to focus on establishing your Business and Financial plans.

 

Schedule for a complimentary 15-min consult with our licensing/application expert to learn more about how we may be able to assist you.


ENHANCED OVERVIEW OF MISSISSIPPI CANNABIS PROGRAM

In April of 2014, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed a limited medical marijuana bill (also known as Harper Grace’s Law), providing legal protection for the use and possession of CBD oil for state residents suffering from a debilitating epileptic condition. The limited program only allowed the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi to produce the oil while the Department of Pharmacy Services at the University of Mississippi dispensed the CBD oil. On November 30, 2017, the Mississippi Department of Health announced the addition of autism and obstructive sleep apnea to the state’s limited program.

In 2019, a campaign group, Mississippians for Compassionate Care, proposed an initiative to legalize medical marijuana, which was on the Nov 2020 ballot. Additionally, the Mississippi State Legislature passed Alternative 65A, a legislative alternative to Initiative 65, that also appeared on the Nov 2020 ballot. The Initiative was rejected by the State Supreme Court six months later.

In January of 2022, the Mississippi legislature approved Senate Bill 2095, which Governor Tate Reeves signed into law on February 2, 2022. The act went into effect immediately, legalizing medical cannabis for those with qualifying medical conditions.

MISSISSIPPI MARIJUANA TIMELINE

April 2014 – Harper Grace’s Law was signed into law, decriminalizing medical marijuana and allowing limited access to CBD oil.

November 2017 – Autism and obstructive sleep apnea were added as qualifying medical conditions to the state’s limited program.

September 2019 – Mississippians for Compassionate Care submitted over 105,000 signatures to the Secretary of State for Initiative 65 to qualify to be on the November 2020 ballot

January 2020 – The Secretary of State confirmed Initiative 65 qualified to appear on the Nov 2020 ballot

November 3, 2020 – State passed Initiative 65, but the State Supreme Court annulled it

January 26, 2022 – Mississippi Legislature approved Senate Bill 2095, legalizing medical marijuana

February 2, 2022 – Governor Tate Reeves signed the bill into law, with the act going into effect immediately

June 2022 – MSDH plans to begin accepting online license applications with a 30-day approval time for licensure applications

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    - Jonathan O'KeefeDispensary Owner, Strive Life Grand Forks

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    "Sara’s success speaks for itself. Our company continues to engage Sara for ongoing consulting and her advice remains solid and relevant to our growth."

    - JonathanOwner, Firefly Dispensaries in Pennsylvania.

    "Working with Sara was a pleasure. We don’t know how we would have gotten through the application process without her."

    -Kristina BeglarianArizona Vertically Integrated Facility Owner