States where medical cannabis products are legal may offer legal status for a patient caregiver to purchase and administer marijuana products to help with a patient’s condition. But what is a medical marijuana caregiver in Mississippi, and what qualifications does one need to register as a caregiver?
What Is a Medical Marijuana Caregiver?
So, what is medical cannabis, and how does a medical marijuana caregiver procure and administer legal cannabis for qualified patients? Medical cannabis includes marijuana products with regulated quantities of specific compounds, including THC and certain cannabinoids, which can help with certain medical conditions such as seizures or chronic pain.
A medical marijuana caregiver can have several responsibilities to assist a qualified marijuana patient, including picking up specific quantities of marijuana products from a licensed dispensary and administering the products to the patient. But how does someone become a marijuana patient caregiver?
Qualifications To Register as a Caregiver
In Mississippi, anyone wanting to become a medical marijuana caregiver must complete the caregiver registration in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program Portal if they meet the appropriate qualifications. To quality to register as a caregiver, you must:
- Be a Mississippi resident
- Be 21 years old or above
- Not have been convicted in the five years preceding the application of any disqualifying crime
- Be in good standing for all professional licenses
- Not have a previously revoked license, identification card, or state-issued document while participating in the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program, or a similarly revoked document from another state
If you meet the appropriate qualifications to register as a caregiver, you must pay a $25 non-refundable application fee and a $37 fee for a criminal background check to verify your suitability to become a medical marijuana caregiver for up to five qualifying patients. It can take up to 30 days for the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) to review your application.
Restrictions and Limitations for a Marijuana Patient Caregiver
Medical marijuana caregivers may only serve five registered qualifying patients at a time. However, if the caregiver works at a health care facility or patient residential care facility, they may provide medical marijuana caregiver services for more than five patients. Patients under 18 years of age must have a medical marijuana caregiver, but caregivers are optional for adults.
While caregivers can only have five patients, each patient may only have one medical marijuana caregiver, except in limited circumstances. These may include a developmentally disabled patient or a patient in hospice.
In Mississippi, you can apply to become a caregiver for a family member. If a family member has a developmental disability that restricts them from caring for themselves, they must designate a parent or legal guardian as their medical marijuana caregiver.
A natural question that arises is whether or not a caregiver in Mississippi can grow their own cannabis. Laws in Mississippi stipulate that caregivers in Mississippi may not grow cannabis plants or carry more than their patients’ allowed amounts of medical marijuana. This includes over 24 MMCEUs (Mississippi Medical Cannabis Equivalency Units) in a 30-day period. How much is in one MMCEU, though?
- 100mg of THC in any cannabis-based product
- 3.5g of medical cannabis flower
- 1g of medical cannabis concentrate
Additionally, a caregiver shouldn’t possess more than the monthly limit of these products for any one of their patients.
Responsibilities of a Medical Marijuana Caregiver
Mississippi, like many states, allows for the patient to designate their medical marijuana to the caregiver. Patients who might need caregiver services include any minor who legally uses medical marijuana and those incapable of making it to the dispensary on their own.
The caregiver also has a responsibility to maintain the patient’s stores of marijuana products without tampering and administer the patient’s marijuana as recommended.
Learn More About Becoming a Medical Marijuana Caregiver in Mississippi
At LeafMed, we provide high-quality medical marijuana products for patients in Vicksburg, Bay St. Louis, and the surrounding areas. Get answers to your medical cannabis questions on our blog, and call today at (228) 382-5323 to learn more about our medical marijuana services in Mississippi.