Missouri’s new medical marijuana industry is intended to be home grown, both literally and figuratively. Several features of the new state constitutional provision require (or limit, depending on your perspective) medical marijuana businesses to have strong Missouri roots.
First, all medical marijuana sold in Missouri is required to be cultivated in Missouri.
Second, all marijuana-infused products sold in Missouri must be manufactured in a Missouri facility.
Third, all facilities/providers must be majority owned by natural persons who have been Missouri citizens for at least one year prior to submitting a license/certificate application to the Department of Health and Senior Services. (Minority stakes may be owned by non-Missouri entities or persons.)
Fourth, the licensing regime “spreads the wealth” to multiple business owners/licensees by limiting how many licenses can be held by any one individual/business but requiring the issuance of a sizeable number of licenses overall.
The drafters of Amendment 2 (now Article XVI of the Missouri Constitution) were careful—probably for political reasons—to ensure that real Missourians benefit from the business opportunities provided by the emerging medical marijuana industry. Nonetheless, non-Missourians can and will also benefit from the industry.
AEGIS Law is a leader in working with cannabis industry clients in other states. If you are interested in becoming part of the emerging medical marijuana industry in Missouri, contact Jeff Wax (jwax@aegislaw.com) at AEGIS Law for help today.
