In November 2018, Missouri passed Amendment Two, the Medical Marijuana and Veteran Healthcare Services Initiative with a 66% approval vote.

Even though the medicine has become legal, there is unfortunately still no way for Missouri patients to legally obtain it.

Missouri has decided to only sell marijuana produced in-state, which means the manufacturing process must get up and running before there’s product to sell in dispensaries.

Also, a rule has been made that dispensaries must be 1,000 feet away from churches, day cares and schools, which makes future zoning more difficult.

 Thousands of Missouri residents have purchased and received their medical marijuana cards with no idea of when they will be able to acquire the medicine.

In the mean time, I believe the product should be available to patients in some way, either from outsourcing marijuana to Missouri or allowing patients to legally bring back marijuana from surrounding states.

There needs to be a way for patients to receive the medicine they need while there is still no one in Missouri to sell it to them legally. Revisions in Missouri’s current regulations should be reconsidered for the benefit of the people, as many rules make this process nearly impossible.

Hopefully the state will begin seeing progress by next year.

 Missouri will reap many benefits once medical marijuana resources become available, including a 4% sales tax on the product, which will cultivate millions to provide health care to veterans, as well as a safer alternative to pharmaceuticals that will inevitably put a dent in the opioid crisis.