We believe Missourians are strongly in favor of legalizing and regulating the use of marijuana and expect a petition signature collection effort will reflect that sizable support.

For one, Missourians now have confidence in our state government’s ability to operate a new division regulating marijuana. The Department of Health and Senior Services has been effective in administering the new program and met all guidelines set out by the Missouri Constitution.

Further, Missourians are already seeing the benefits of an emerging medical marijuana industry. Applications from patients and those who sought facility operating licenses greatly exceeded expectations, and program sales have been similarly robust.

We believe a serious petition effort will attract significant support from a variety of sources, including grassroots supporters, advocacy organizations, and large donations. Our committee name is Legal Missouri 2022, and all contributions will be publicly available from the Missouri Ethics Commission, per Missouri law.

Individuals will be allowed to purchase up to three ounces of cannabis flower, or its equivalents, at a time.

The initiative extends the amount of time that medical cannabis patient and caregiver ID cards are valid from one to three years while keeping that cost low ($25).  By comparison, most other states charge application fees three or four times higher, with some requiring multiple physician certifications in a single calendar year.

Similarly, the $100 fee for Missourians who opt to cultivate cannabis at home will be reduced in half, with the expiration period also extended from one to three years. The proposal would also extend reciprocity to out-of-state residents with valid medical cannabis cards.

The proposal prevents any single business owner from possessing more than 10 percent of the total operating licenses for dispensaries, cultivation, and infused product manufacturing facilities    

All new licenses will be awarded to eligible applicants at random, via a lottery.

Quite a few. Law enforcement agencies investigating possible illegal marijuana grow and sales operations would be required, before seeking a search warrant, to first check with the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) whether their target is licensed by the state as a home cultivator, patient or caregiver.

Specifically, “Evidence of marijuana alone, without specific evidence indicating that the marijuana is outside of what is lawful for medical or adult use, cannot be the basis for a search of a patient or non-patient, including their home, vehicle or other property.”

In family court, a qualified medical marijuana patient can’t have that status be used to restrict custodial or parental rights to minor children. And while landlords will still be able to restrict or limit legal marijuana consumption on their property, they would also be prohibited from banning their tenants’ legal marijuana possession and consumption by means other than smoking.

Existing laws that prevent such facilities from being located near schools and churches would remain unchanged. And any local government that wished to exclude such businesses from its community could do so, subject to a vote of the people.

The new law would prevent employers from discriminating against cannabis patients in hiring, firing and other disciplinary measures if not related to drug use or intoxication while on the job.