MSDH proposes changes to medical marijuana regulations

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Components of Mississippi’s medical marijuana program are up and working. However sufferers haven’t been capable of entry any merchandise but.

A public remark interval simply ended at midday final Friday with the Mississippi Division of Well being. They’re proposed tweaks to the laws for every part from growers to sufferers and every part in between.

No merchandise have been offered but. And the principles are nonetheless altering. Some like Kelly Williams at Kelly’s Inexperienced anticipated that.

“We didn’t really feel blindsided by something,” mentioned CEO and Founding father of Kelly’s Inexperienced, Kelly Williams. “We felt like that, for essentially the most half, nearly all of the laws have been or the proposed laws have been cleansing up issues, including a bit bit perhaps clarification on some definitions and phrases. “

Whereas different growers like Zack Wilson at Good Flower Farms don’t agree with the adjustments.

“The well being division retains transferring the goalposts as we get nearer and nearer and nearer,” famous Wilson.

Advocates are elevating a purple flag a few patient-related regulation, specifically.

“Probably the most obvious one to me can be the brand new part stating {that a} qualifying affected person should attend a follow-up go to with the identical practitioner, that affected person initially visited,” mentioned Melvin Robinson with Mississippi Hashish Commerce Affiliation. “That is perhaps a problem for folks with entry to transportation, or they may have gone someplace else and wanting to vary and practitioner or these sorts of issues.”

“I simply assume it’s an excessive overreach that they’d not enable a affected person to hunt out one other medical skilled of their neighborhood,” mentioned affected person advocate Bethany Hill. “So, we consider that’s only one manner that it’s impacting this system and retaining sufferers away. It’s positively overreaching for certain.”

One other proposed change would preserve firms from posting photographs or movies like this of the crops or merchandise on social media or web sites.

“I can’t consider the rest within the retail market that you simply’re not allowed to take a look at before you purchase,” defined Wilson. “, lots of people are eager to be educated on this on this medicine. And with out with the ability to present the processes of the way it’s made, you’re actually hindering your affected person and your cultivators.”

Nonetheless, Kelly Williams thinks the adjustments are par for the course.

“We did anticipate it,” famous Williams. “And the reason being not due to something aside from when you have a look at the opposite states, among the states which have a regulated program have carried out that. I believe it’s naïve to not anticipate regulatory adjustments coming with such a model new program.”

We reached out to the Division of Well being to get info on the timeline for approving these proposed adjustments however they didn’t have anybody accessible for remark.

To learn all the proposed regulation adjustments, click on HERE.

Need extra WLBT information in your inbox? Click on right here to subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Copyright 2022 WLBT. All rights reserved.