As Election Day approaches in Missouri, questions about marijuana on the ballot continue to circulate.
Missouri was recently ranked as the 10th most “CBD-obsessed” state by Leafwell, an organization of cannabis scientists and specialists. Leafwell examined Google Trends data of search terms used by people interested in CBD to create its rankings. Missourians were also frequently searching other marijuana-related terms, “THC” and “What is CBD?”
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced in mid-August that a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana use and clear some cannabis-related convictions would be on the Nov. 8 ballot.
What does the amendment propose?
The ballot measure proposes an amendment to the Missouri Constitution that would:
- Remove state prohibitions on purchasing, possessing, consuming, using, delivering, manufacturing and selling marijuana for personal use for adults over 21;
- Require a registration card for personal cultivation with prescribed limits;
- Allow persons with certain marijuana-related non-violent offenses to petition for release from incarceration or parole and probation and have records cleared;
- Establish a lottery selection process to award licenses and certificates;
- Issue equally distributed licenses to each congressional district;
- Impose a 6% tax on the retail price of marijuana to benefit various programs.
When would the law go into effect?
If passed, the amendment would be added to the Missouri Constitution 30 days after the election on Nov. 8, but it could take longer before people are able to legally buy marijuana for recreational use as businesses work through the licensing process.
How much marijuana could one possess, consume or deliver under the new law?
According to the amendment, an individual could purchase, possess, consume, use, ingest, inhale, process, transport or deliver up to three ounces of dried, unprocessed marijuana.
Any person who were to smoke marijuana in a public place, other than a licensed area, would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $100.
How much marijuana could an individual cultivate under the new law?
An individual could possess, transport, plant, cultivate, harvest, dry, process or manufacture up to six marijuana flowering plants, six nonflowering plants and six clones (plants under 14 inches tall), according to the amendment. This is as long as the individual is registered with the state for cultivation of marijuana plants.
Plants and any marijuana products exceeding the three-ounce limit must be kept in one’s private residence in a non-visible, locked space. If marijuana plants were cultivated in an open, public space, the individual would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $250 and loss of the marijuana.
Application forms and application instructions for personal cultivation registration cards would be made available to the public within 30 days of Dec. 8. Registration cards would be valid for 12 months, with a renewal fee of $100.
The law would permit marijuana microbusiness facilities. What does this mean?
Marijuana microbusiness facilities are similar to craft wineries or breweries. These businesses grow, process and sell small batches of product through an exclusive retail outlet. In recent years, marijuana microbusinesses have been popping up throughout the country.
There are two types of marijuana…
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