Jackson, MS Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Threshold
- 30 grams or less
- Penalty
- Fine up to $100, no imprisonment
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 2018-4(2), Feb. 13, 2018
- Applies
- Citywide, including public property (§ 86-91(a))
- No stacking
- Not also chargeable with paraphernalia at ≤1 oz (§ 86-90)
Summary
Jackson's own marijuana ordinance, Sec. 86-91, makes possessing 30 grams or less unlawful anywhere in the city but caps the penalty at a $100.00 fine with no jail time. That local cap, adopted in February 2018, applies regardless of where in the city the marijuana is found, including public property.
Sec. 86-91. - Simple marijuana possession.
(a) It is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess 30 grams or less marijuana in the city, unless the marijuana was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice or otherwise obtained in accordance with state or federal law. The penalties for any violation of this section shall be a fine of no more than $100.00 and shall not be punishable by imprisonment for any term.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " Adopted by Ord. No. 2018-4(2) on February 13, 2018, the section deliberately caps punishment well below the citywide general penalty in Sec. 00 and jail time for code violations. Because the ordinance doesn't carve out an exception for public versus private property, it is the provision cited when marijuana possession at that threshold is found in a park, on a sidewalk, or anywhere else within city limits. Sec. 86-91(b) authorizes the Jackson Police Department to run a training curriculum on the difference between this city ordinance and state law regarding marijuana arrest, detention and prosecution, acknowledging the two tracks diverge.
A related provision, Sec. 86-90, blocks double punishment at the low end: "No person charged with possession of one ounce or less of marijuana shall also be charged" with a drug-paraphernalia violation under Article III. Above 30 grams, this capped local fine no longer applies, and the harsher possession and distribution penalties under Mississippi's Uniform Controlled Substances Law take over instead.
Violations & Fines
A citation under Sec. 86-91 is fine-only: up to $100.00, with imprisonment expressly barred by subsection (a), a much lighter outcome than the general municipal penalty of up to $1,000.00 and jail under Sec. 1-10. The cap applies only at 30 grams or under; it does not affect how state law treats larger quantities or distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you be arrested for having marijuana in public in Jackson?
Is Jackson's marijuana possession penalty different from Mississippi state law?
Does the $100 fine cap apply to any amount of marijuana?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jackson
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