Medical marijuana scams on the rise, Mississippi official says. Here’s what to look for
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch is urging the state’s residents to be wary of possible medical marijuana scams.
The AG’s office and State Health Department issued a warning Thursday about false ads offering advance registration for medical marijuana cards.
“As Mississippi’s chief legal officer, I will not allow companies to engage in fraudulent and deceptive business practices in our State,” Fitch said in a statement. “We urge you to be wary of any promises to jump you to the head of the line for access to medical marijuana in Mississippi. It is too early for any company to guarantee those promises will be kept.”
The state voted overwhelmingly to legalize medical marijuana via Initiative 65 in early November, the Sun Herald reported. Since then, the attorney general’s office said it has received questions about ads claiming to offer medical marijuana pre-registration.
State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs, who’s spearheading development of the new medical marijuana program, said the department is still in its early planning stages and has yet to issue any regulations on Initiative 65.
“It is premature for any company or entity to post information offering medical marijuana,” Dobbs said in a statement. “Do not be vulnerable to these scams. Any information regarding medical marijuana will be posted on a specified website page.”
The State Health Department is expected to have the program launched by August 2021, according to the Sun Herald.
Mississippians are urged to report suspected scams and fraud to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-281-4418, or via email at consumer@ago.ms.gov.
This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 10:07 AM.