\”Mississippi’s cannabis laws have undergone significant changes in recent years. The state first decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis in 1978, making possession of up to 30 grams a civil offense punishable by a fine. In 2014, Mississippi legalized the use of CBD oil for medical purposes, but the state did not have a comprehensive medical cannabis program until 2022. The Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act was passed after voters approved Initiative 65 in 2020, although the state’s Supreme Court later overturned the initiative.
In response, lawmakers passed a bill in 2022 legalizing medical cannabis for patients with qualifying conditions. Under the law, patients can possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis per month, although home cultivation is prohibited. Recreational cannabis remains illegal in Mississippi, and the state has some of the strictest penalties for cannabis possession in the country. However, the medical cannabis program is expected to grow as more patients enroll and dispensaries open across the state.\”
Mississippi | |
|---|---|
Nicknames:
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| Motto(s): | |
| Anthem: "One Mississippi" | |
 Location of Mississippi within the United States | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Mississippi Territory |
| Admitted to the Union | December 10, 1817 (20th) |
| Capital (and largest city) | Jackson |
| Largest county or equivalent | Hinds |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Greater Jackson |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Tate Reeves (R) |
| • Lieutenant Governor | Delbert Hosemann (R) |
| Legislature | Mississippi Legislature |
| • Upper house | Senate |
| • Lower house | House of Representatives |
| U.S. senators | Roger Wicker (R) Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) |
| U.S. House delegation | 1: Trent Kelly (R) 2: Bennie Thompson (D) 3: Michael Guest (R) 4: Mike Ezell (R) (list) |
| Area | |
• Total | 48,434 sq mi (125,443 km2) |
| • Land | 46,923 sq mi (121,530 km2) |
| • Water | 1,520 sq mi (3,900 km2) 3% |
| • Rank | 32nd |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 339 mi (545 km) |
| • Width | 171 mi (275 km) |
| Elevation | 300 ft (90 m) |
| Highest elevation | 807.1 ft (246.0 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2025) | |
• Total |  2,954,160 |
| • Rank | 35th |
| • Density | 63/sq mi (24.5/km2) |
| • Rank | 33rd |
| • Median household income | $54,200 (2023) |
| • Income rank | 50th |
| Demonym | Mississippian |
| Language | |
| • Official language | English |
| Time zone | Central |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT |
| USPS abbreviation | MS |
| ISO 3166 code | US-MS |
| Traditional abbreviation | Miss. |
| Latitude | 30°12′ N to 35° N |
| Longitude | 88°6′ W to 91°39′ W |
| Website | www |
| List of state symbols | |
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| Slogan | Virtute et armis (Latin) |
| Living insignia | |
| Bird | Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) |
| Butterfly | Spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus) |
| Fish | Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) |
| Flower | Magnolia |
| Insect | Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) |
| Mammal | White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) |
| Reptile | American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) |
| Tree | Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) |
| Inanimate insignia | |
| Beverage | Milk |
| Color(s) | Red and blue |
| Dance | Square dance |
| Food | Sweet potato |
| Gemstone | Emerald |
| Mineral | Gold |
| Rock | Granite |
| Shell | Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) |
| Toy | Teddy Bear |
| State route marker | |
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| State quarter | |
 Released in 2002 | |
| Lists of United States state symbols | |
Mississippi (/ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/ ⓘ MISS-iss-IP-ee) is a state in the Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the southwest, and Arkansas to the northwest. Mississippi's western boundary is largely defined by the Mississippi River, or its historical course. Mississippi is the 32nd largest by area and 35th-most populous of the 50 U.S. states and has the lowest per-capita income. Jackson is both the state's capital and largest city. Greater Jackson is the state's most populous metropolitan area, with a population of 591,978 in 2020. Other major cities include Gulfport, Southaven, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Olive Branch, Tupelo, Meridian, and Greenville.
On December 10, 1817, Mississippi became the 20th state admitted to the Union. By 1860, Mississippi was the nation's top cotton-producing state and slaves accounted for 55% of the state population. Mississippi declared its secession from the Union on January 9, 1861, and was one of the seven original Confederate States, which constituted the largest slaveholding states in the nation. Following the Civil War, it was restored to the Union on February 23, 1870. From the Reconstruction era to the 1960s, Mississippi was dominated by socially conservative and segregationist Southern Democrats dedicated to upholding white supremacy.
Mississippi ranks among the highest of U.S. states in religiosity and among the lowest in measures of health, education, development, and income. Mississippi's major industries include agriculture and forestry. The state produces more than half of the country's farm-raised catfish, and is a top producer of sweet potatoes, cotton and pulpwood. Others include advanced manufacturing, utilities, transportation, and health services. Mississippi is almost entirely within the east Gulf Coastal Plain, and generally consists of lowland plains and low hills. The northwest remainder of the state consists of the Mississippi Delta. Mississippi's highest point is Woodall Mountain at 807 feet (246 m) above sea level adjacent to the Cumberland Plateau; the lowest is the Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi has a humid subtropical climate classification.