State Regulations
Is Marijuana Legal in Missouri?
Medical cannabis is legal in Missouri but recreational use is still stuck at decriminalized status since 2014. In 2018, voters approved Amendment 2 giving permission to distribute and regulate medical cannabis. It is not stated clearly whether transportation is allowed but one can grow cannabis for medical use.
On November 6, 2018, Missouri voters passed Amendment 2 with a 66% vote amending the state constitution allowing for the medical use of cannabis for eligible patients who have a physician's approval.
This measure allows patients who qualify to plant not more than six cannabis plants.
Patients under the medical cannabis program can also purchase the amount of medical cannabis that has been determined for their conditions by state regulators in one go (usually around 4 ounces). Tax set at 4% for medical marijuana sales and the proceeds earmarked for military veteran services.
On the ballot together with Amendment 2 were two different medical cannabis initiatives that were defeated. One amendment, Amendment 3 proposed a narrower list of qualifying conditions, higher tax rates of 15 percent, as well as the prohibition of home cultivation. This amendment failed to garner sufficient votes. Proposition C, the third proposition was a statutory rather than constitutional amendment. It proposed a lower tax of 2 percent as well as prohibiting home growing. It failed with a 44 percent vote.
On October 17, 2020, the first sale of licensed medical cannabis was made. At this time 192 licensed dispensaries were in existence many of which opened by the year end.
The conditions that qualify for medical cannabis in the state of Missouri are:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Any terminal illness
- Autism
- Cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Chronic pain/neuropathy
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis C
- HIV/AIDS
- Cachexia/wasting syndrome
- Huntington’s disease
- IBS
- Intractable migraines
- Lou Gehrig’s disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Opioid substitution
- Parkinson’s disease
- PTSD as well as other “debilitating psychiatric disorders”
- Tourette syndrome
- Sickle cell anemia
- Seizures
Although the above qualifying conditions are mentioned specifically, any “other chronic, debilitating or other medical condition” that may be alleviated by marijuana “in the professional judgement of a physician” is also covered under this amendment.
