Jackson, MS Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)

3 provides that "medical cannabis dispensaries are hereby prohibited from locating within a distance of 1,000 feet from the main point entry of the dispensary to the nearest property boundary of any protected place," with "protected place" defined to mean any school, church, or childcare facility. 4 adds a second buffer between competing dispensaries: "No medical cannabis dispensary may be located within a 1,500 feet radius from the main point of entry of the dispensary to the main point of entry of another medical cannabis dispensary," and where two end up within that radius, the first-established dispensary is treated as the conforming use while the later one becomes nonconforming.

2 sets the measurement method: distances are calculated "in a straight line, without regard to intervening objects or structures," from the dispensary's main entrance to the protected place's nearest property line, and a protected place occupying leased space in a shopping center or strip mall is measured from the boundary of its own leased unit, not the whole building. A city jurisdictional boundary is irrelevant to the calculation, so a protected place just across the city line still counts. 7 allows a narrow, by-right variance from the distance restriction only if the dispensary secures written approval from the affected school, church or child care facility, has applied for a waiver with its state licensing agency, and still sits no closer than 500 feet to that protected place's property boundary.