MS HB1360

Establishes the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Pilot Program as a 5-year pilot that automatically repeals 5 years after the first dispensary begins operations, allowing therapeutic use of marijuana for patients with debilitating medical conditions including cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, seizures, ALS, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, and intractable pain.

Permits qualifying patients to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and allows the State Department of Health to issue registry identification cards to patients and designated caregivers, with the department establishing a verification system for law enforcement and dispensaries.

Requires the department to register 3 initial dispensaries by March 1, 2017, with additional dispensaries (totaling 5 by March 1, 2019) and at least 1 testing facility by March 1, 2017, while prohibiting local governments from effectively banning dispensaries.

Provides legal protections for qualifying patients, caregivers, physicians, and therapeutic marijuana establishments from criminal prosecution and civil penalties for activities authorized under the program, with specific prohibitions on smoking marijuana and operating vehicles while impaired.

Establishes penalties including felonies for unauthorized marijuana sales, requires background checks for establishment employees, mandates strict recordkeeping and security measures, and creates a 9-member advisory committee to evaluate the program and make recommendations to the legislature annually.