NATCHEZ, Miss. – A site for the third medical marijuana dispensary in Natchez got approved Thursday by the city board in charge of ensuring such businesses are properly placed.
The Natchez Planning Commission approved Doug Stout’s application to locate his medical cannabis dispensary at 135 U.S. 61 south by the Days Inn motel.
The commission has also recently approved other marijuana dispensaries’ locations in the area: one for Tabitha Wroten at 131 Jeff Davis Boulevard in the medical suites near the now-closed Natchez Community Hospital and another for Tina Bruce at 55 Seargent Prentiss Drive in Trace Town shopping center near the Red Top and County Pie restaurants.
A fourth marijuana dispensary in Adams County with a state license is to be located outside Natchez but near the city behind Roux 61 restaurant on U.S. 61 south. Angel Leaf Medical Cannabis Dispensary is owned by Black Farmers Hemp of Mississippi, according to the registry maintained by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Enforcement Division, the state Department of Revenue agency empowered to license and regulate medical cannabis pharmacies. Angel Leaf is not subject to local land-use regulations since Adams County has no ordinance for this outside Natchez.
There’s been controversy over Bruce’s Trace Town location. There was an apparent misunderstanding that the Planning Commission required the dispensary’s entrance be in its back alley because the building’s front was too close to Wroten’s business in violation of state limits. However, city officials told Bruce Thursday that the Planning Commission approved her location with no condition the entrance be in the back at least 1,500 feet away from the other cannabis pharmacy. They noted they’re OK with the entry being at the building’s front if state regulators have consented, which Bruce said they have.
She said to expect her dispensary to open in January. It’ll be operating under the name Toke and Tell, according to the state registry. Wroten’s dispensary will be operating under The Highest Care name.
While the Natchez Planning Commission approved Stout’s U.S. 61 location, his dispensary was not listed among the 140 or so such businesses throughout Mississippi on the state registry licensed to sell medical cannabis.
Mississippi pot pharmacies are expected to open and be dispensing by early next year.
The Mississippi Legislature last January legalized marijuana that health-care providers can prescribe to patients with cancer or other serious illnesses.
The Natchez Board of Aldermen in August approved a zoning ordinance to limit the city’s medical marijuana dispensaries to the area by Merit Health hospital on Seargent Prentiss Drive, where Natchez doctors and clinics are concentrated.
The state Department of Revenue is responsible for licensing and regulating dispensaries. It enforces the laws as they apply to the proper purchase, sale and distribution at marijuana dispensaries.
The state Department of Health handles licensing and enforcement of laws related to patients using marijuana and medical providers prescribing it. The department also licenses and regulates businesses that grow, test, process, transport and dispose medicinal marijuana.
There are no such licensed businesses in Adams County, according to the Department of Health’s registry. The agency does not list medical providers licensed to prescribe marijuana.
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