Missouri is working to have marijuana ready to sell for recreational use next February. The state Department of Health and Senior Services has been developing rules for several weeks because the deadline is tight – the program is required to begin December 8.
Those rules should be online in a few days, according to Lyndall Fraker, the director of Missouri’s medical marijuana program.
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Under the ballot measure passed by voters this week, Fraker said Missourians will be able to apply for registration cards to grow cannabis plants at home. He said residents can begin applying for this option December 8.
“They’ll be able to grow six mature plants at a time,” he said. “I believe with their starter plants, and clones, and so forth, up to 24 plants would be legal in their grow area, but six mature flowering plants.”
The cost? Lisa Cox, with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said it’s $100.
Fraker says under Missouri’s current medical marijuana program, patients are also allowed to grow their own plants at home. The legalization of recreational marijuana will require a different application to grow plants at home.
Beginning December 8, it will also no longer be illegal for someone to have three ounces or less of marijuana on them.
Missouri has about 370 medical marijuana shops. Fraker said they will have the opportunity to apply for comprehensive licenses that allow the sale of marijuana for recreational use.
About 370 medical marijuana shops exist in Missouri. They will be able to apply for licenses to sell recreationally. There will also be a lottery to add additional business licenses to sell recreational marijuana product.
The state will also issue 144 microbusiness licenses to allow smaller amounts of marijuana to be grown. A lottery system will also be a part of this process. The cost for a microbusiness license is $1,500 but it is refundable for those who are not granted a license.
He said the medical marijuana program will still continue.
“It’ll be their choice on that. If they don’t, if they so choose and don’t want to be part of the medical (marijuana) program, then they can purchase it in the adult use program. The big difference would be the tax difference. The medical program, the tax is 4% on the sales of purchase of the product, and on the adult use, it would be 6%,” he said.
Beginning December 8, the patient card will become $25 every three years, instead of an annual renewal card for $25. There is also a cost associated with getting certification from a doctor in order to get the patient card. The cost varies depending on the doctor.
To hear the Show Me Today interview with Lyndall Fraker, click below.
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