Missouri Makes Cannabis Use, possession, and Cultivation a Constitutional Right for Those over 21

Missourians have reason to celebrate because, as of December 8, 2022, cannabis is now legal in the state. Recreational use of weed was approved under Amendment 3 in Missouri, and it is now a constitutional right to possess, grow, and imbibe the herb for adults over 21.

While cannabis is technically legal, Missourians might have a hard time procuring the sticky icky unless they are a card-carrying patient because there are not yet retail outlets to buy from unless you are a patient, and applications for home grow are not yet being accepted. Those wishing to grow cannabis in their home can obtain an application from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services starting January 7.

But the new law allows adults to possess up to three ounces. In addition, qualified medical patients can now possess up to six ounces of their medicine, up from four ounces.

Existing medical cannabis dispensaries will be allowed to expand their sales to recreational users under the new model. The state expects to issue an additional 144 licenses by the beginning of 2025.

Since there are eight states bordering Missouri, it is likely that the state will become a hub for out-of-state weed sales, as only one of those states is adult-use legal.

Missouri’s new designation as a legal cannabis state moves America closer to full legalization, even if it will need to happen one state at a time. The momentum is clearly on the side of those fighting prohibition as the dominos continue to drop one by one. Hopefully, federal prohibition will be ended in one fell swoop by Congress.

But before that happens, cannabis reform activists in the remaining states still prohibiting adult recreational use will undoubtedly be encouraged by the “Show Me State” designating ganja as a constitutional right.

To quote a very famous activist, we will end he injustice of prohibition by any means necessary. Missouri just got us that much closer to that goal.