Medical marijuana advocates are raising concerns about new state guidelines in Missouri that restrict how much cannabis patients can legally buy from dispensaries. Under existing rules, dispensaries must monitor patient purchases to make sure they don’t go over their monthly limits.
Earlier this year, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services updated its website with new guidance. It states that once patients hit their allowed amount, they can’t legally switch to recreational purchases to get more marijuana. The department’s cannabis regulation division emphasized that this rule is meant to keep everyone within their legal possession limits.
Currently, patients enrolled in Missouri’s medical cannabis program are limited to 6 ounces of unprocessed cannabis over a 30-day period. Meanwhile, recreational users can buy up to 3 ounces per day, although they’re not allowed to hold more than that at any one time. The law also prohibits tracking purchases of recreational users unless they give consent.
Andrew Mullins, who leads the Missouri Marijuana Trade Association, argued in an April letter that the state’s interpretation of the law isn’t constitutional. He wrote that forcing residents to choose between being medical patients or recreational consumers goes against sound policy and legal principles.
Mullins pointed out that the approach conflicts with what the division told cannabis businesses in 2023, shortly after recreational sales began. At that time, the division had said patients over 21 would also be allowed to make purchases as recreational consumers.
However, department spokesperson Lisa Cox later clarified that the response had been sent in error and did not reflect the finalized rules, which didn’t take effect until August 2023. Cox noted that the department has reviewed Mullins’ concerns and is now reassessing the current policy.
Brennan England, who heads the Missouri chapter of Minorities for Medical Marijuana, says the restrictions hurt communities of color, which were among the earliest to rely on legal medical cannabis for safe and affordable care. England, an advocate and patient himself, launched major reform efforts beginning in 2014 and opened Missouri’s first private cannabis lounge in 2019.
He argues that the current rule not only limits access but also erodes trust in the system. England is calling for a full repeal of the policy, followed by a public dialogue involving patients, business operators, and state regulators. “You can hand out memos,” he said, “but when you sit across from someone whose treatment has been interrupted because of these limits, that’s when real change begins.”
The entire marijuana industry around the country, including leading firms like Green Thumb Industries Inc. (CNSX: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), will be watching how the concerns of patients in Missouri will be addressed by the regulators there.
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