A medical marijuana proposal will not be on Missouri’s general election ballot in November. Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green has ruled against overturning petition signatures that have been considered invalid.
Cole County Courthouse, Jefferson City
Local election authorities denied about 10,700 signatures collected from a group called New Approach Missouri. The group needed about 2,200 signatures overturned in order to gain ballot access. New Approach Missouri says Judge Green wanted to require that all signatures appear on a sheet that lists the signer’s correct county in the upper right-hand corner.
The measure would have asked Missourians if physicians should be able to recommend medical marijuana for patients battling illnesses like cancer, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and PTSD.
It included a 4% tax on marijuana to help fund veteran healthcare services. The State Auditor’s office estimates that the tax could have generated about $20 million annually.
Some medical marijuana opponents say the true intent of the measure is to legalize marijuana for recreational use.
There are 25 states that have medical marijuana laws.