How To Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Mississippi

What is an MMJ Card in Mississippi?

A Mississippi medical marijuana card allows the cardholder to participate in the state's medical marijuana program and legally access cannabis for medical purposes. The state refers to its MMJ card as Patient Identification Card. Mississippi requires anyone applying for its patient identification card to first be certified for medical cannabis use by a licensed physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or optometrist. After receiving their medical certification, they can then apply to the state’s medical cannabis program online.

Who Can Apply for an MMJ Card in Mississippi?

Mississippi allows any resident living with any of the qualifying conditions approved for medical cannabis therapy to apply for a medical marijuana card. Applicants need to provide medical certifications from licensed healthcare providers to be considered for MMJ cards in Mississippi. Eligible patients include adults and minors. Minors must designate caregivers to join the state’s medical cannabis program.

Can a Minor Obtain a Medical Marijuana Card in Mississippi?

Yes. Mississippi allows eligible patients under the age of 18 to join its medical cannabis program and obtain medical marijuana cards. However, only a physician can certify a minor for medical cannabis use. The minor also needs to designate a caregiver who must be their custodial parent or legal guardian.

What Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Cards in Mississippi in 2024?

Mississippi considers individuals living with any of the following conditions for medical cannabis use:

• Cancer
• Parkinson's Disease
• Huntington's Disease
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Glaucoma
• Spastic Quadriplegia
• Positive Status For Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
• Hepatitis
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Crohn's Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Sickle-Cell Anemia
• Alzheimer's Disease
• Agitation Of Dementia
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Autism
• Pain Refractory To Appropriate Opioid Management
• Diabetic/Peripheral Neuropathy
• Spinal Cord Disease Or Severe Injury

The state also allows access to medical marijuana for individuals with chronic, terminal, or debilitating conditions whose symptoms or treatment causes any 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 characteristic of multiple sclerosis

How Do I Apply for an MMJ Card in Mississippi in 2024?

The first step to applying for a Mississippi medical marijuana card is obtaining a medical certification from a physician. Within 60 days of obtaining this document, you must register on the state’s medical cannabis program portal. Provide your email address as well as a username and password to create your account. Choose an individual license type and verify your account registration by following the instructions provided in the email sent to you. Log into your new account and start your application by providing the information required. The registration will require digital copies of your photo, ID card, medical certification, and caregiver authorization form, if applicable.

After completing and submitting your application, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program will provide you with an electronic patient identification card within 5 days. This card will be valid for the period specified by your physician in your medical certification up to a maximum of 1 year.

How Does a Primary Caregiver Get a Mississippi MMIC?

To register as a caregiver, and receive a medical marijuana card, in the Mississippi medical cannabis program, an individual must first be named as a designated caregiver by a patient already approved to participate in the program. The individual can then apply to be a caregiver from the website of the Mississippi Department of Health. They must complete their Designation of Caregiver Form and include this with their application.

How long does it take to get a Mississippi MMIC?

The Mississippi medical cannabis program can take up to 30 days to review an applicant’s documents and information. After getting an approval to join the program, it can take up to 5 days to get an electronic medical marijuana card in Mississippi. The actual length of time taken would depend on the volume of applications currently being considered.

Getting a Mississippi Medical Marijuana Card Online

Mississippi only accepts applications for its medical marijuana card online. The steps required for obtaining a Mississippi MMJ card online are the same as detailed above.

How Much Does a Medical Marijuana Card Cost in Mississippi?

While the Mississippi medical cannabis program does not charge an application fee, it charges a non-refundable $25 fee for its patient identification card. Individuals participating in Medicaid pay a reduced fee of $15.

How Do I Renew My Medical Marijuana Card?

The process required to renew a Mississippi medical marijuana card is similar to the one described for applying for one. To renew their medical marijuana cards, participants of the Mississippi medical cannabis program must obtain new medical certifications from their physicians and upload this to their account on the program portal.

Are my Details Kept Confidential When I Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Mississippi?

The details of applicants who submit applications to participate in the state's medical marijuana program are kept confidential by law. Subsection 7, Section 5 of Initiative 65 explicitly states that the MSDH and all licensed medical marijuana treatment centers must protect the personal information of all qualified patients. It further exempts the records of all qualified patients, caregivers, and physicians from those under the Mississippi Public Records Act's jurisdiction. This exemption ensures members of the public do not have unrestricted access to prospective participants' records.

Furthermore, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) enacted in 1996 guarantees the confidentiality of medical records. HIPAA's privacy rules prohibit disclosing any patient's identifiable health information without the patient's consent. Entities covered by HIPAA must not disclose these Protected Health Information (PHI) without the subject's consent except for:

• Disclosure to the subject
• For treatment, payment, or healthcare operation purposes
• Disclosure for public interest and national priority. These 12 scenarios fall under the national priority category:
• When ordered to be disclosed by law
• For public health activities
• Victims of domestic violence, abuse or neglect
• Judicial and administrative proceedings
• Health oversight activities
• Law enforcement purposes
• Decedents
• Cadaveric organ, eye, or tissue donation
• Research
• Serious threat to health or safety
• Essential government functions
• Workers' compensation

HIPAA does not restrict the disclosure of De-identified Health Information, which refers to information that people cannot use to identify subjects of the health records.

What Information Appears On A Mississippi Medical Marijuana Card?

A Mississippi medical marijuana card includes the following details:

• Name
• Photograph
• Patient/Caregiver identification number
• Issue date
• Expiry date
• Date of birth

Can Someone Track Me Down Through The Mississippi Registry?

It is impossible to track participants in Mississippi's medical marijuana program because the law setting it up mandated that patients' records must be kept confidential. These records will not be publicly available, and unauthorized persons cannot access the registry's records.