Marijuana petition campaigns kicking off in the Ozarks

The state of Missouri has several initiatives in the works to legalize mariuana in one form or another. The most promising effort at the moment is led by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, who needs to gather 28,000 signatures by May 2016 to bring medical marijuana to the general election ballot for next year. A separate initiative is seeking to legalize marijuana "for personal, medical, and commercial purposes," and to release inmates sentenced for non-violent marijuana crimes. Both efforts are seeing positive feedback from residents, though some believe the state has a much better shot at medical legalization first.

Burlison said he believes there is a reservoir of support for legalizing marijuana in Springfield and that most of the people he's approached have responded positively to the petition. He added some people are reluctant to sign a petition because it might be seen by their employer or used to their detriment in some way.