Missouri

Is Weed Legal in Missouri?

Medical marijuana was legalized by voter approval in 2018, but faced delays in setting up a program for sales. However, the medical program is gearing up for operation with 192 medical marijuana dispensaries approved. If you are a medical marijuana patient in Missouri, don’t worry, purchasing medical marijuana is just around the corner.

Recreational marijuana remains illegal in Missouri and still comes with some pretty harsh penalties. We’re hopeful that this will change soon, as 65% of Missouri residents voted in approval of Amendment 2 to legalize medical marijuana.

Buying Marijuana in Missouri

Medical marijuana dispensaries opened in August of 2020, after over 18 months of delay since Amendment 2 was passed legalizing medical marijuana. Medical marijuana will not be hard to come by as 192 medical dispensaries were licensed to open across the state!

Buying Marijuana at a Retail Location

Due to the recency of medical marijuana legalization, there have been no medical retailers to open yet. It was estimated that medical dispensaries would become operational in mid-2020, but the Coronavirus has greatly impacted the establishment of the medical program. However, there have been nearly 200 medical marijuana retailer licenses issued across the state. This means that there is a good chance you will start to see medical dispensaries opening in the near future.

Using a Marijuana Delivery Service

Using a medical marijuana delivery service is still not prohibited in Missouri as dispensaries are not operational yet. There hasn’t been mention of implementing a delivery service in Missouri so for now, patients or caregivers must physically enter a dispensary once they become operational.

Store Hours

There are no laws to regulate or limit how long a dispensary can be open in Missouri, so be sure to look at a dispensary's listing on our site before going.

Purchasing Restrictions

Medical marijuana patients or caregivers are allowed to purchase up to 4 ounces of marijuana or its equivalent in marijuana products per 30 days. Patients are not allowed to exceed 4 ounces per month unless approved by two independent physicians. However, 4 ounces is quite generous per month and we don’t see these rules really limiting patients in purchasing marijuana products.

Available Products

With more and more research into the medicinal uses of marijuana, the number of products available has skyrocketed. Missouri, once they open dispensaries, will offer almost every product one can imagine. Ranging from actual bud to oils, creams, edibles and ointments, dispensaries will be able to carry it all.

Taxes on Marijuana in Missouri

Taxes on Recreational Marijuana in Missouri

The purchase of any marijuana or marijuana products without a valid medical card is still illegal in the state of Missouri. While it has been decriminalized there is no legal state-licensed business to purchase recreational cannabis and no system of taxes implemented.

Taxes on Medical Marijuana in Missouri

Missouri will implement a 4% sales tax on the final transaction of medical marijuana. This means that each dispensary must charge a 4% sales tax and submit it to the state at the end of each month. Luckily this fairly low, making marijuana products a little bit cheaper as compared to other states.

Possession

Similar to purchasing restrictions, medical marijuana patients are allowed to possess up to a 30-day supply which is considered to be 4 ounces of marijuana, marijuana products, or a combination of the two. Therefore, Missouri is quite relaxed with its possession limits as it nearly doubles other states. We don’t see possession limits to really be an issue in Missouri but definitely make sure that you are not holding more than 4 ounces as this could lead to fines or even a suspension on one’s medical card.

Using Marijuana in Missouri

In reality, the only place one can legally smoke or consume cannabis is in the privacy of their own homes outside of the public eye. But always make sure that nobody under the age of 18 is present, and your consumption of cannabis will not harm anyone around you. There have been no businesses to allow the consumption of marijuana, so your best bet is to always wait until you get home. 

Areas in Missouri that DO allow the use of marijuana:

• Private residence
• Private land such as a backyard that is out of sight of the public

Areas in Missouri that DO NOT allow the use of marijuana:

• Any motor vehicle
• Any public land
• Beaches
• School grounds
• University campus
• Federal lands

Smoking on Federal Lands

As you may know, marijuana is illegal on a federal level in the United States. So, what this means is that every place owned by the federal government has to abide by their rules. So, smoking or possessing marijuana of any kind on federal lands is highly illegal. If one is caught, they will be prosecuted by a federal court which involves a lot of time and fines.

Medical Marijuana in Missouri

Medical marijuana was legalized under Amendment 2 very recently and the program still has a long way to go. After legalization in November of 2018, the state has only issued licenses to various dispensaries but have not let them open yet. On the bright side, however, dispensaries are set to open in August of 2020.

Recreational marijuana is still a criminal offense on a state level, but many of Missouri’s large cities have elected to decriminalize marijuana. The legalization of recreational marijuana is not on the state ballot for 2020 but some hope that voting opportunities will arise in the near future.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Missouri

There are around 22,000 medical marijuana patients in the state of Missouri all of which are anticipating the imminent opening of dispensaries across the state. If you are not one of these 22,000 individuals and are hoping to acquire a medical marijuana card, the process is pretty standard:

1.     First, one must check the official state list to see if their condition is approved.

2.     If one’s condition is approved, one must then schedule an appointment with their doctor or physician to acquire a medical marijuana recommendation.

3.     If one acquires their doctor’s recommendation, they must sign up with the state. The Missouri Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) uses Complia to register which can be found on their state website.

4.     Fill out the application with Complia and submit the requisite fees ($25.58)

While we cannot guarantee one will acquire a medical marijuana card, the process shouldn’t take too long and one should hear back within 30 days after submitting their application.

Out of State Medical Cards Missouri

Unfortunately, out of state medical cards are not accepted in Missouri. There also has been no legislation brought forward to change this.

How to Transport Marijuana in Missouri

Transporting Marijuana in Missouri

State-licensed medical marijuana patients and elected caregivers are legally allowed to transport marijuana in their cars within the state boundaries of Missouri. However, any marijuana product within the vehicle must be sealed and out of reach of the driver, including the glovebox. It is always best practice to store any marijuana in the car in the trunk or behind the backseat of the vehicle.

Driving While Under the Influence of Marijuana

There is no legal limit that is safe to drive in the state of Missouri. In fact, any sign of impairment will warrant a drug inspecting officer to be notified and sent to investigate one’s driving condition. Driving under the influence of marijuana is always a bad idea and can result in massive legal problems similar to that of a DUI. If found driving under the influence of marijuana, one’s license will be suspended, and they will have to pay massive legal fines and carry out court-mandated punishment. If you are high, don’t even think about driving and utilize Missouri’s public transportation or any popular ride-sharing app.

Driving Across State Lines with Marijuana

Despite legalization efforts, no one under any circumstances is allowed to drive across state lines with marijuana. As mentioned above, marijuana is still illegal in the US on a federal level. And state lines are under the federal government’s jurisdiction. Therefore, it is illegal to transport marijuana from state to state and cops are often told to look for any attempt of smuggling marijuana across state lines.

Growing Marijuana in Missouri

Only medical marijuana patients or caregivers above the age of 21 are allowed to grow marijuana. Patients or caregivers are allowed to grow up to 6 flowering plants. However, one must go through extra paperwork to obtain a license to grow marijuana. To obtain such a license, one must submit an application to the Missouri Department of Health. Finally, in order to cultivate marijuana, the growing area must be in a closed and locked facility on one’s private residence.

Resources

• https://dor.mo.gov/business/medical-marijuana.php
• https://www.medicalmarijuanainc.com/missouri-marijuana-laws/
• https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/2019/08/08/missouri-medical-marijuana-applications-conditions-dispensary-what-know/1861831001/
• https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/missouri/2020/06/15/missouri-medical-marijuana-st-louis-business-first-growing-operation-open/3191305001/
• https://theweedblog.com/medical/missouri-marijuana