Mississippi forces dispensaries to pull some medical cannabis products from shelves. Why?

Mona Moore
·2 min read

For a few days, Dixon Dispensaries had to limit its sales, as the Mississippi Department of Health requested a hold on some medical cannabis products until they could be retested.

“We had to store away like 85 percent of our products,” said John Dixon, owner of Dixon Dispensaries.

Like other dispensaries, Dixon was left with the option to resupply the store with other sources, or contend with empty shelves until further notice.

Good Day Farm Dispensary was hit hard with the hold, since most of its products had to be pulled off the shelves. The Biloxi dispensary opted to close last Thursday and reopened with a limited supply Wednesday.

Good Day Farm dispensary in Biloxi on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. Good Day Farm was closed for several days as much of their product was not able to be sold after Mississippi State Department of Health placed an administrative hold on a large number of medical cannabis products while they’re retested for pesticides and mycotoxins.
Good Day Farm dispensary in Biloxi on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. Good Day Farm was closed for several days as much of their product was not able to be sold after Mississippi State Department of Health placed an administrative hold on a large number of medical cannabis products while they’re retested for pesticides and mycotoxins.

Dixon said he was in better shape than most local dispensaries, because he had access to products tested in facilities that weren’t affected by the current hold.

He also had the capital from his other businesses to offset the costs of resupplying the Gulfport store. Dixon Dispensaries is about 50 percent back up to normal.

“It takes $20,000 to $30,000 minimum just to put products in the store. I’m just blessed that I had other resources to pull money and resources from,” Dixon said. “The real mom-and-pop stores were hit the hardest because they don’t have the resources to purchase more products.”

The hold was placed last Thursday to retest the medical cannabis products for possible pesticides and mycotoxins, said Gregory Flynn, MSDH director of external affairs and media relations.

Empty shelves at a dispensary on the Mississippi Coast on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. Many local dispensaries had to remove a large percentage of their product from the market after the Mississippi State Department of Health placed an administrative hold on a large number of medical cannabis products while they’re retested for pesticides and mycotoxins.

According to the National Library of Medicine, ingesting or inhaling pesticides and mycotoxins (a toxic mold) can cause chronic damage to vital organs and increased exposure can be deadly.

None of the affected products were recalled or deemed unsafe for consumption. Flynn also said there were no reports of illnesses related to the impacted products.

“Through the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system, the agency can isolate the batch and lot numbers associated with this administrative hold and expedite the retesting,” said Laura Goodson, Director of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program.

Retesting will be prioritized by the type or category of product.

“For example, cannabis flower/bud will be tested first because it serves as the base for many of the products, followed by concentrates and infused products,” said Flynn in a released statement. “As batches of products are cleared, they will be removed from the hold, and be back on the market. Patients are encouraged to contact dispensaries to see what products are available.”