Did Missouri Legalize Marijuana?
Yes. In 2018, the people of Missouri voted on a direct ballot that would make medicinal marijuana legal and empower the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to oversee and regulate the Medical Marijuana Program. While recreational use of cannabis in Missouri is illegal, medical marijuana can be grown, sold, and consumed with the proper patient certification and application submission. Missouri activists and cannabis industry leaders are already planning for a 2022 ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana, but that’s quite a bit away from now. In the meantime, registered Missouri patients amount to over 50,000, and the state’s first licensed cultivators have gotten the green light to put seeds in the ground. In a short matter of months, the first ever medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri will be stocked with premium medical-grade cannabis.
Qualifying Conditions to Become a Medical Marijuana Patient in Missouri?
If you have any of these qualifying medical conditions, you can arrange a certification appointment with a physician:
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Intractable migraines that are 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.”
- 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.
Taken from the Missouri Department of Health website, per article XIV of the Missouri constitution online. It is pertinent to understand that these qualifying conditions have to be diagnosed by a doctor in good standing medical practice in the State of Missouri.
I Have One Or More Of These Conditions, What Do I Do Now?
If you have one or more of the qualifying patient conditions, your next step to becoming a patient is to have a physician certify your condition either in person or via a tele-health visit. Missouri is one of a few medical marijuana states that allows their patients to actually complete the entire patient application process remotely, and a number of certifying doctors in Missouri offer the option to certify over a video conference.
How Much Medical Marijuana Can I Buy?
With a Standard Physician Certification, patients are able to purchase and possess 4 ounces of medical marijuana each month. Patients whose conditions require a higher amount of cannabis are able to submit two Alternative Physician Certification Forms, which would allow them to purchase and possess up to 8 ounces of medical marijuana monthly. It is a requirement that each of these two alternative forms be completed by two separate physicians with the same qualifying medical conditions listed. Once this has been accomplished, you can move to register and complete your patient application!
To complete an application, you will need to register with the My Complia application portal. Once this is done, you will need to fill out the application and then send it in, it should be noted that this can take up to 30 days to process.
What About Underage Medical Marijuana Patients?
Patients must be 18 years of age or older to apply directly for their patient card. However, if a prospective patient is under the age of 18, they may have up to two primary caregivers (21 years or older) submit a Parent/Legal Guardian Consent Form as well as a Patient Authorization Form. Caregivers for unemancipated patients under the age of 18 must possess and administer that patient’s supply of medical marijuana.
Is It Illegal To Carry Cannabis On You If You Have Your Card?
In Missouri, patients (even those under the age of 18 with a registered caregiver) who have a government-issued medical marijuana recommendation are allowed to possess up to 4 oz of dried, unprocessed marijuana on their person. Individuals can also grow up to 6 mature plants, 6 vegetative plants, and 6 seedlings with the acquisition of a separate cultivation card which costs $100.
Will Missouri Accept Medical Cards From Out-of-State Patients?
No. Missouri Medical Marijuana laws do not allow for out-of-state visitors to purchase medical marijuana, even if they are a registered patient in their home state.
Can Employers Still Drug Test Patients for Medical Marijuana?
Unfortunately, Missouri laws on medical marijuana are silent on workplace drug testing and how to approach existing policies for refusal to hire or disciplinary measures for testing positive on a drug test for marijuana. Most places of business have not altered their policies on drug use or impairment during the work day as it relates to medical marijuana since Missourians legalized medical marijuana in 2018. This means many patients are still unable to be completely secure in both their employment status and treating their medical conditions.
Next Steps to Becoming a Medical Marijuana Patient in Missouri
If you qualify or know someone who does qualify and could benefit from the effects of medical marijuana, send them this link. Missouri has made it easier than ever to become a medical marijuana patient, and we are just a few months shy of seeing dispensaries opening their doors for the first legal cannabis sales. If you have a qualifying condition, but still have questions on the specifics of applying for your patient card, see the following related pieces at the bottom:
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