Cannabis laws in Missouri

Medical: Yes
Recreational: Yes
Reciprocity: No

Recreational cannabis was legalized in Missouri in November, 2022 via ballot initiative. Sales are expected to start in December 2022, when existing medical dispensaries open their doors to recreational consumers. Medical marijuana has been legal in Missouri since 2018.

Cannabis laws in Missouri

Missouri “decriminalized” small amounts of cannabis for personal use in 2014. The law removed the possibility for jail time for someone charged with possession. However, it only applied to people without prior cannabis convictions, and still carried a criminal charge.

Missouri opened the door for medical cannabis in 2014 with medical CBD oil, and created a full medical program in 2018.

The passage of Amendment 3 in November, 2022 makes it legal for adults over 21 to buy and possess up to 3 oz of cannabis. Residents of Missouri can register to grow their own plants, up to six flowering and six immature plants per household. The law goes into effect on December 3, 2022, and the legal market will open with medical dispensaries becoming dual-purpose. New adult-use dispensaries will begin to open in 2023. The amendment also opens the door for expunging some records of people with cannabis charges.

Medical marijuana in Missouri

Under the law, patients can purchase up to four ounces of dried, unprocessed marijuana or its equivalent in a 30-day period. Missouri law does not allow the public consumption of marijuana.

Here’s how you can join the program:

1. Have your physician fill out the Missouri physician certification form

This form confirms that you are being treated for one of the state’s qualifying conditions for the medical marijuana program (see list of conditions below).

2. Go to the State of Missouri’s official patient/caregiver application registration

Below the main photo, click on “patient/caregiver application registration.” Click yes at the pop-up box warning that you are exiting the site. Click on “sign in page” in the top right corner and then click on “register.”

3. Fill out the provided user registration form

Fill out the state’s online form, making sure that all of your personal information is correct. After registering, you should receive a verification email. Verify and sign in with the email and password you created.

4. Submit physician certification form

On the registration site, submit the certification form filled out by your presiding physician, which must include the date of patient examination, recommended amount of cannabis per 30-day period, and the qualifying medical condition you have. You can then apply in the same form for approval to cultivate marijuana and home, and to share the grow facility with other qualified patients and/or caregivers.

5. Submit application fee

The application fee for medical marijuana in Missouri is $25, and must be paid annually. If you are applying for home cultivation approval (up to six plants), an additional $100 fee is required. Primary caregivers for qualified patients must also pay a $25 license fee. After submitting all forms and paying the fee, you should receive your medical marijuana license within 30 days. This allows you to grow up to six plants for personal use.

Qualifying Conditions

Per Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution, the qualifying conditions for which patients in Missouri can receive medical cannabis include:

Cancer
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Intractable migraines unresponsive to other treatment
A chronic medical condition that causes severe, persistent pain or persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to those associated with multiple sclerosis, seizures, Parkinson’s disease, and Tourette’s syndrome
Debilitating psychiatric disorders, including, but not limited to: post-traumatic stress order, if diagnosed by a state licensed psychiatrist
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
A chronic medical condition that is normally treated with a prescription medications that could lead to physical or psychological dependence, when a physician determines that medical use of marijuana could be effective in treating that condition and would serve as a safer alternative to the prescription medication
A terminal illness In the professional judgment of a physician, any other chronic, debilitating or other medical condition, including, but not limited to, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, Huntington’s disease, autism, neuropathies, sickle cell anemia, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, cachexia, and wasting syndrome.

Reciprocity

Missouri does not currently have reciprocity agreements with other states. Patients must have a license issued in Missouri in order to purchase marijuana in the state.

Where to buy

The state of Missouri began accepting applications for cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensing facilities in August 2019, and in January 2020, it approved licenses for 192 dispensaries. This constitutes 24 in each of the state’s eight congressional districts and has stated that it expects marijuana to be available for purchase at licensed facilities at some point after January 2020, possibly as early as Spring 2020.

Taxes and medical marijuana in Missouri

Patients and caregivers must pay a 4% tax on medical marijuana purchases.

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CBD Regulations

CBD oil was legalized in Missouri in 2014 as an alternative treatment for persistent seizure disorders or epilepsy. The original law mandated the patient must try at least three other options before being referred to medical CBD.

Today, CBD products are legal in Missouri thanks to the federal passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. you can find CBD products for sale throughout the state.

Can you grow your own weed?

Yes, under Amendment 3, residents of Missouri can grow up to six flowering and six immature plants per household. However, every grower must be registered with the state government.

Visiting Missouri – can you bring or buy weed?

Starting in December of 2022 and expanding throughout 2023, anyone over the age of 21 will be able to legally purchase cannabis and cannabis products.

Crossing state borders with cannabis is still federally illegal. Most states surrounding Missouri have only medical, if any, legalization.