The Southern states have always been viewed as the holdouts for cannabis legalization, though the regional pressure is increasing with states like Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida having medical marijuana programs. With Mississippi voters approving Initiative 65 in November, 2020 to create a comprehensive medical marijuana program, many believe the ball is bound to drop for Tennessee and Alabama in the near future.  Mississippi became the 35th state in the US to adopt a medical marijuana program, which voters approved via a citizen-led ballot measure process to directly amend Mississippi ..read more

The future of Mississippi’s medical marijuana program has been somewhat hazy even after 74% of Mississippi voters approved Initiative 65 in November 2020.  The first hurdle is overcoming an attempt by the City of Madison, Mississippi to nullify that vote through a technical challenge currently pending before the Mississippi Supreme Court, which is hearing oral arguments by the respective parties on April 14. The second potential issue is Senate Bill 2765, which was introduced in January 2021 at the Mississippi Legislature as another legislative alternative to the medical marijuana program ..read more

Medical Marijuana in Mississippi: Vertical Integration and What It Means With 35 states plus the District of Columbia, over half of the United States has already legalized marijuana in some form. This includes medical-only states as well as states with adult-use (recreational) programs. The marijuana landscape continues to rapidly change, with Mississippians overwhelmingly passing a citizen-led ballot measure in November 2020.  With this new medication option comes entrepreneurial and business opportunities in the medical marijuana industry. That said, the path to a successful marijuana b ..read more

Mississippians overwhelmingly passed Initiative 65 on November 3rd, which was a huge win for patients and their families seeking relief from the symptoms of debilitating medical conditions. Access to this life-changing medicine will only become a reality when licensed businesses begin supplying patients with high-quality, regulated medical marijuana products.  Over the past three weeks, we have received numerous calls and emails from people interested in obtaining a license to participate on the business-side of the new medical marijuana program, from seasoned entrepreneurs to small-town ..read more

We are excited to announce that Mississippi voters approved Initiative 65 on the general election ballot, which will create a medical marijuana program in Mississippi for qualified patients. This is a historic moment for the Hospitality State, and one that many probably thought wouldn’t occur for several years, if ever. Now, Mississippians suffering from the symptoms of medical conditions and diagnoses like cancer, ALS, and epilepsy can have an alternative treatment option besides opioids. I have served as an advisor to the Medical Marijuana 2020 campaign for the past two years and really enjo ..read more

In 2019, over 228,000 Mississippians signed petitions to place Initiative 65 on the upcoming general election ballot. Initiative 65, a thoughtful and well-reasoned initiative led by the citizens of Mississippi, creates a medical marijuana program for Mississippi patients with debilitating medical conditions similar to programs that exist in 34 other states and the District of Columbia. On January 7, 2020, the Mississippi Secretary of State verified all of the requisite signatures of Initiative 65 and qualified the measure for the general election ballot. Immediately after Initiative 65 qualifi ..read more

We’re pleased to announce that SB 2725, the Mississippi Hemp Cultivate Act, has passed the Senate and House and will soon be on the Governor’s desk. Passage of SB 2725 bill represents a two-year effort to codify the regulation of hemp production in Mississippi, which the federal government made possible in the 2018 Farm Bill. States around the country have moved to create a regulatory framework so that growers and manufacturers can work with hemp. This remarkable natural fiber will make possible several new products and businesses in the Magnolia State. In 2019, the Mississippi Legislature for ..read more

Sebastian Wicker didn’t set out to enter the cannabis consulting field. Originally from Virginia, he returned there after graduating from the University of Mississippi. Living near Washington D.C., Wicker worked as a paralegal in business immigration. For highly skilled (“extraordinary”) immigrants looking to work in the U.S., applications are more narrative and require precise writing to succeed, and Wicker gained skills as a technical writer. Sebastian Wicker, founder and CEO After about three years in that role, a friend asked if Wicker wanted a change of scenery, offering work as a freelan ..read more

Mississippi legislators have introduced two hemp bills (HB1208 and SB2725) for consideration in the 2020 legislative session. The goal of the bills is to make it possible for Mississippi farmers to grow hemp under regulations set forth in the federal 2018 Farm Bill, which gave states a framework for licensing and regulating the growing and processing of hemp.  Each state that seeks to allow for hemp production needs to create a state plan for regulating it, which they then submit to the USDA for approval. If Mississippi passes a hemp bill, it will join 47 other states that have approved ..read more

Rules and regulations for domestic hemp production are coming into focus, with the USDA taking a key next step toward finalizing hemp production regulations for U.S. states and Indian tribes. On October 31, 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) filed its Interim Final Rule (IFR or Rule) for regulations establishing a domestic hemp production program which is effective immediately upon publication. Much of the rule outlines provisions for the USDA to approve plans submitted by states and Indian tribes for the domestic production of hemp. The public can comment on the rule for ..read more