How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Mississippi in 2023

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves legalized medical marijuana after signing Senate Bill 2095 — also known as the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act — into law in February 2022. The legislation allows state residents suffering from at least one of over 20 qualifying conditions to apply for a medical marijuana card and legally purchase medical cannabis.

If you are a Mississippi resident and are interested in getting your medical card, you’ve come to the right place. This article will explain everything you need to know about the Mississippi medical cannabis program, which conditions qualify patients for medical card certification, and how to navigate the medical card application process.

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Benefits of Having a Medical Card in Mississippi

Applying for a Mississippi medical marijuana card is the only way residents can legally purchase and consume cannabis in the state. Recreational sales and home cultivation of cannabis remain illegal under state law.

Purchase and Possession Limits

Cannabis possession limits are calculated based on Mississippi Medical Cannabis Equivalency Units (MMCEUs). According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, one MMCEU equals:

• Three and one-half grams of medical cannabis flower;
• One gram of medical cannabis concentrate; or,
• One hundred milligrams of THC in an infused product

Medical marijuana patients may purchase up to six MMCEUs (21 grams of flower) a week and 24 MMCEUs (roughly 3 oz of flower) a month. They can legally possess up to 28 MMCEUs (just under 3.5 oz of flower).

Eligibility Requirements

Adults aged 18 and up diagnosed with at least one qualifying condition may be eligible to apply for a medical cannabis card in Mississippi. First, they must schedule an in-person visit with a physician, nurse practitioner, or optometrist participating in the state’s medical cannabis program and get certified. People aged 18-25 must meet with two providers at separate medical clinics.

See below for a complete list of qualifying conditions and step-by-step instructions for the application process.

Can Minors Get a Medical Card in Mississippi?

Yes. But for an individual under 18 to participate in Mississippi’s medical cannabis program, a custodial parent or legal guardian responsible for healthcare decisions must apply on the minor’s behalf, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health.

The parent or legal guardian must also agree to serve as the minor patient’s designated caregiver, controlling the acquisition, dosage, and frequency of use of the patient’s medical cannabis.

Qualifying Conditions

There are currently over 20 medical conditions that qualify for participation in the Mississippi medical cannabis program. They are:

• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
• Agitation of dementia
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Autism
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Diabetic/peripheral neuropathy
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis
• Huntington’s disease
• Muscular dystrophy
• Pain refractory to appropriate opioid management
• Parkinson’s disease
• Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Sickle-cell anemia
• Spastic quadriplegia
• Spinal cord disease or severe injury
• Ulcerative colitis

You may also qualify if you have a chronic terminal illness, a debilitating medical condition or disease, or its treatment, that produces one or more of the following:

• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Chronic pain
• Severe or intractable nausea
• Seizures
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms including, but not limited to, those that are characteristic of multiple sclerosis (MS)

How to Apply

• Register online with Leafwell.

Book an appointment to meet in person with a provider near you. Initial consultations must be in person under Mississippi law. All follow-ups can be online via our telemedicine platform.

• Discuss medical marijuana with your healthcare provider.

Attend your in-person consultation. Speak to your healthcare provider about your medical conditions and why medical cannabis may be a good option. Feel free to ask questions and discuss any concerns you may have. Then, get approved.

Please note that you must book an appointment first. Our current location is at 155 Aulenbrock Dr, Building 200, Suite A, Canton, MS, 39046.

• Register with the Mississippi State Program.

Your certifying provider will register your certificate with the state, and then you can create an account with the MS DOH and complete the application.

• Receive your digital card from the state of Mississippi.

Once approved, you’ll receive a digital card. You can use this to buy your medicine from licensed dispensaries.

What You’ll Need

• A medical certification by a practitioner participating in the medical cannabis program (see “Steps to Apply”)
• Your full legal name
• Date of birth
• Current physical address
• Current mailing address
• Current telephone number or email address
• Identification issued by the state of Mississippi
  • A driver’s license or state-issued ID card by the department of motor vehicles
• Two documents demonstrating proof of residency in the state of Mississippi
  • Ownership, lease, or rental documents in the name of the applicant for their place of residence
  • Utility billing statements (power bill, gas bill, or water bill) in the name of the applicant for their place of residence
  • Mississippi vehicle registration in the name of the applicant
• A current photograph of the applicant
• A non-refundable fee for the medical cannabis application and identification card
• An attestation signed and dated by the applicant that the information provided is true and correct.
• An attestation, signed and dated by the applicant, pledging not to divert medical cannabis products to any individual or entity.
• Any other information that the State Department may require

Costs

An in-person consultation with a physician, nurse practitioner, or optometrist participating in Mississippi’s medical cannabis program is required by law for approval. A consultation with one of Leafwell’s healthcare providers costs $199 and is valid for one year.

The state also charges a $25 non-refundable application fee ($15 for Mississippi Medicaid participants) for your medical card. That fee can be waived entirely for a 100% disabled veteran or disabled first responder.

Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

Mississippi doesn’t accept out-of-state medical cannabis cards, but it does issue Nonresident Qualifying Patient Identification Cards.

To become a nonresident qualifying patient cardholder, Mississippi stipulates that the following conditions are met:

1. Patients have been diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition by a practitioner in their respective state of residence.
2. The patient is not a resident of Mississippi or has been a resident for fewer than 45 days.
3. The patient has an active medical cannabis identification card for their state of residence.
4. The patient must apply for a nonresident qualifying patient identification card with the State Department and pay a non-refundable fee of $75.

Click here for a complete list of states and U.S. territories that accept out-of-state medical cards.

Applying as a Caregiver

Mississippi defines a caregiver as a person at least 21 years of age who has agreed to assist no more than five registered qualifying patients with their medical use of medical cannabis.

Caregivers must apply for a Registered Designated Caregiver Identification Card. This process is similar to applying for a medical card. However, in addition to paying a $25 non-refundable application fee, caregivers must also pass a criminal background check and pay a $37 designated caregiver criminal background check fee.

Where to Buy Medical Marijuana

There are currently no dispensaries selling medical marijuana in Mississippi yet. However, sales are expected to begin in January. To access Mississippi’s Dispensary License Registry, click here.

Cultivation

Home cultivation of cannabis is not permitted for medical cardholders under Mississippi law.

Mississippi Medical Marijuana Laws to Know

Below, you’ll find a few need-to-know medical marijuana laws enforced in Mississippi. Check out our Mississippi law page for more in-depth coverage of the state’s laws.

• Patients can not smoke or vaporize cannabis in vehicles or public places.
• Patients can not drive or operate other motor vehicles under the influence of cannabis.
• Patients cannot cultivate cannabis.
• Patients under 21 cannot enter a dispensary without a custodial parent or legal guardian.

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