May 11, 2020 (PDF)

MISSOURI CANNABIS ENTREPRENEURS ASK LEGISLATIORS FOR ACTION THAT WILL RESULT IN 1,700 NEW BUSINESSES AND 30,000-50,000 NEW JOBS

Some approved license applicants are lobbying to keep status quo to limit the competition

Kansas City, Mo. (May 11, 2020) – The Missouri Patients Alliance (MPA), an organization comprised of medical marijuana patients and small business owners across the state of Missouri that were initially denied medical marijuana business licenses, is urging Missouri General Assembly to take immediate action to support an amendment to remove current license limits and issue licenses to all recent applicants meeting minimum requirements.

As a direct indication of the renewed interest in this issue at the capitol, the Missouri House of Representatives recently approved an amendment removing Medical Marijuana Facility License limits arbitrarily established by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). The amendment also requires licenses be issued to all facility applicants meeting the minimum standards set forth in Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution. MPA is urging Missouri legislators to escalate the approval of this amendment language to an appropriate bill.

“MPA believes that removal of the license caps would help jumpstart Missouri’s economy after the financial damage caused by Covid-19 by creating thousands of new jobs without a penny of state or federal stimulus funds,” said Attorney Joani Harshman, one of the founders of MPA. “Over 1,700 new Missouri businesses would have the opportunity to operate and add substantial revenue to the Missouri Veterans’ Health and Care Fund as well as to state and local governments. Further, the time and enormous expense funded by the taxpayers of litigating the 800 plus pending appeals of denied license applications would come to an abrupt halt.”

Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution is titled “Right to Access Medical Marijuana.” Section 1.3(25) states that the department shall not impose an “undue burden” on qualifying patients. The limit on the number of licensed facilities is an undue burden of inconvenience and higher prices to the patient. Why not encourage the market to provide lower cost medicinal cannabis for patients treating cancer, epilepsy, PTSD, and other serious conditions. The current DHSS regulation, as it stands, violates the Constitution and will lead to a supply shortage of medical marijuana, higher prices, and limited patient access resulting in an undue burden. Furthermore, patients’ safety will be at risk with the increased likelihood that patients will seek lower prices and greater convenience on the black market, as has been the case in many other states.

For more information on Missouri Patients Alliance please visit: www.MissouriPatients.com or text 314-391-9592. An informational video is available on the website and here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwCmxDFE01ruzJv2v75NoDg