HB 1444 Summary

• Establishes the Mississippi Retail Marijuana Code authorizing the Commissioner of Revenue as State Licensing Authority to license and regulate cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, sale, and testing of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products beginning January 1, 2018.

• Creates seven license classes: retail marijuana stores, cultivation facilities, products manufacturers, testing facilities, transporters, business operators, and occupational licenses for employees; requires fingerprint-based criminal history checks and prohibits licensing to persons with certain drug felony convictions within specified timeframes.

• Implements a seed-to-sale tracking system, requires testing for contaminants and potency, restricts edible products to 10mg THC per serving with 100mg maximum per package, prohibits products shaped like humans or animals, and imposes packaging and labeling standards including child-resistant containers.

• Imposes 7% sales tax on retail marijuana sales at both wholesale and retail levels, establishes the Marijuana Cash Fund from license fees and tax revenues to support State Licensing Authority operations, and allows local jurisdictions to prohibit operations or impose additional local licensing requirements and operating fees.

• Amends existing controlled substances laws (Sections 41-29-125, 41-29-127, 41-29-136, 41-29-137, 41-29-139, 41-29-141, 41-29-143) to exempt lawful retail marijuana activities from criminal prosecution while maintaining existing penalties for unlicensed marijuana operations.