It’s been almost a year since the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act was signed into law. Yet, licensed dispensaries still don’t have any products to sell.
Similarly to other states, Mississippi has continuously been working out the details of its industry before sales begin. More specifically, they’ve been waiting on the state-mandated testing process, which is expected to get the “okay” at the end of this month.
In the meantime, those who do own medical dispensaries in the state have been doing everything in their power to perfect their shops. Whether that be remodeling, talking with potential clients, or stocking accessories.
As Elizabeth Cavanaugh, owner of Coastal Capital Dispensary, discussed: “We want people to feel very welcome and understand that this is a healing place. This is somewhere you can come for advice.”
Still, even with all the preparation, many dispensaries have found the wait to be brutal. As Cavanaugh detailed, “We’ve been actually moved in here since September. So, we have all the overhead costs of running the business, minus payroll, and no income.”
In the meantime, Cavanaugh and her husband have had to maintain their full-time jobs to cover the expenses.
“We know it’s going to be worth it, and we’ll be able to open as soon as we possibly can,” she said. “The day we get product, we’ll be open the following day.”
Cavanaugh has already begun getting involved with the community and has received positive reactions concerning her future dispensary. She hopes that clients will stretch from all over South Mississippi and find the same healing capabilities within cannabis as she has.
What Mississippians Can Expect From the State’s Industry
As of this time, 9 business licenses (for medical cannabis) have been permitted within Mississippi. All of these are waiting on the state to make industry headway, allowing their businesses to operate.
Admittedly, not all have gone the same lengths as Cavanaugh. Therefore, Mississippians shouldn’t expect 9 dispensaries to pop up the moment products become available.
However, when these dispensaries do finally arrive, Mississippians are going to need a local business they can trust.
As of now, the law states you’re only allowed to purchase up to 3.5 grams of cannabis flower at a time (or up to 1 gram of concentrates). For anyone who’s ever consumed marijuana – especially for medical reasons—you already know that eighth won’t last longer than a few days.
Luckily, the law allows each patient to purchase up to 3 ounces within a month timespan, as long as individual purchases are up to 3.5 grams. Therefore, patients who expect to consume even just regular amounts of cannabis can expect to be making regular visits to their dispensaries.
While these limitations are likely to change, they’re not the worst we’ve seen in the country. In fact, even though Mississippi has a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cap at 30% on flower (60% on concentrates), it’s a far cry from Texas’s 0.5% cap.
Cannabis already has a long history within the state—with Mississippi being the only state to manufacture cannabis for federal research until recently. And we expect the future to be just as impactful.
Already, Mississippi’s medical program is one of the most liberal with the number of qualifying medical conditions. This will provide plenty within the state to easily obtain the treatment they’ve been waiting for.
As of now, it’s just a matter of time before the state finally reels out its industry.
IL PRIMO ECOMMERCE SPECIALIZZATO IN DELIZIE AL TARTUFO E CAVIALE – CAVIAREAT.COM