A look at the long list of medical marijuana products for sale in Mississippi makes one thing clear: The people in this new industry are betting that the state eventually will legalize the recreational sale and use of the drug.
The Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program’s home page, www.mmcp.ms.gov, includes information about “mass re-testing” of medical marijuana products that began on Jan. 3. The MMCP halted sales after an audit found discrepancies with test results that checked for pesticides and other harmful chemicals.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of medical marijuana products are listed on a page of items that have been retested and approved for use. Clearly, the marijuana industry thinks it can get a lot bigger in Mississippi, not to mention the rest of the country.
Given that medical marijuana is designed for people with specific conditions, such as epilepsy, you might think the names of the industry’s various products would have names with an element of seriousness. Instead, the marijuana products are branded in clever ways that call to mind candy or New Year’s Eve fireworks.
At the MMCP home page, choose the “Compliance” option, and then “Items Released From Hold.” Here are some of the products, just from the first couple of pages, that have passed recent safety tests: Killer Bees Bud, Lemon Cherry Gelato, Kosher Dawg, Glitter Bomb, Chicken n Waffles, River Remedy Modified Grapes.
You get the idea. The only reason for coming up with brand names like these is the expectation of marketing marijuana to a much larger customer base in Mississippi. Given that voters approved medical marijuana by a 3-to-1 margin in a 2020 referendum, it’s understandable why the industry is optimistic.
The Magnolia Tribune website recently provided some numbers on the state’s medical marijuana industry. As of December 2023, about 32,000 patients and 190 caregivers — roughly 1% of Mississippi’s population — had been certified by a physician to buy medical marijuana products. About 3,000 people have been approved to find a job in the industry, which so far includes 100 growers and 177 dispensaries.
Since medical marijuana sales began in 2023, the Tribune reported, the state has received $2.3 million in sales taxes and $949,000 in excise taxes, which are paid by businesses but usually added to the cost of the products. MMCP also has received $8.8 million in application and licensing fees.
These numbers say that medical marijuana remains a start-up industry in Mississippi. But state history, including the results of that 2020 referendum, says the odds are good for expanding the legal use of the drug.
Three events of the past 60 years indicate that Mississippi would adapt if recreational marijuana ever got approved by the Legislature — or through another voter referendum.
First was legalizing alcohol in 1966, with cities and counties given the choice of continuing to ban it. Then came casino gambling in the Gulf Coast and Mississippi River counties, approved by the Legislature in the early 1990s. Most recently was approval of a state lottery.
All of these produce handsome tax revenue for the state, but all have clear drawbacks for society, just as marijuana does. Nevertheless, you can’t brag about individual liberties in America and then refuse to provide popular products.
That 3-to-1 referendum put marijuana on the popular list. The companies growing and selling it in the state recognize that. They believe it’s just a matter of time until it’s more widely available, and they are probably correct.
Jack Ryan, Enterprise-Journal
