A look at the impact of Missouri’s medical marijuana program one year in.
ST. LOUIS — Waking up early, taking his grandson to school, running errands and relaxing with his dog. Larry Simpson’s daily rituals are pretty routine for a 73-year-old retiree in Sunset Hills, Missouri.
“Midafternoon I want to go in my chair in there and read my book,” he said. “I just can’t complain about my life. It’s been good.”
His daily routine also includes eating at least one marijuana edible gummy.
“I never wanted to be the old guy who when he opens up his medicine cabinet, so many pills are falling out,” he said.
That’s one reason why when a family friend suggested he try medical cannabis to cope with a stomach cancer diagnosis, and the subsequent chemotherapy and surgeries, he decided to give it a try.
“It’s really added to the quality of my life,” he said.
He was first in line at the first Missouri medical marijuana dispensary to open on Oct. 16, 2020. Today, he’s one of about 150,000 cannabis card carriers. Voters approved medical marijuana in 2018.
“More than 150,000 Missouri patients and caregivers now have safe, convenient and reliable access to a wide array of products from retail outlets located across the state. That access and affordability will only continue to increase as the state’s remaining license holders come online later this year and in 2022,” said MoCannTrade executive director Andrew Mullins in a statement to 5 On Your Side. A spokesperson for the state’s top trade association said the industry is expected to continue creating new jobs as more operations get going after this first year.
For physicians like Dr. Trish Hurford, a pain management specialist, medical marijuana has made the job of helping patients with chronic conditions a little easier.
“They can decrease or even eliminate some of those more dangerous pharmaceutical agents, some of those dangerous drugs, including opioids,” she said. “I’ve spent a lot of time educating myself so that I can be a resource for my patients.”
Dr. Hurford said at first she was skeptical, and thought of marijuana as a “gateway drug” to harmful illicit substances. That all changed when she saw the results in a patient who lives in Illinois, where cannabis has been available for medical use since 2015.
Specialized clinics can consult and certify someone interested in medical marijuana, some entirely online or over the phone, but Dr. Hurford suggested patients involve their physicians and medical team in the decision and ongoing care.
“You want your physician to know what you’re using, because cannabis is not a panacea. There are some drug interactions that your physician as well as yourself should be aware of, and if you have a physician that you can use as a resource it makes that experience with cannabis that much better and that much more effective,” she said.
Among the qualifying conditions in Missouri, latest data shows the largest groups of patients qualify for “physical or psychological dependence,” (20,988), undefined chronic medical conditions (17,492), undefined conditions (9,522) and cancer (2,204).
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