Patients with medical marijuana certification will be able to grow for their own consumption shortly in this state under very severe regulations
Missouri voted to legalize medical cannabis in November 2018. Under the new law, Missouri residents who obtain a medical certificate may apply for a medical marijuana license.
The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is the agency authorized to grant licenses to qualified patients and to all facilities that will have space to grow and / or sell medicinal cannabis, including dispensaries.
Just today, June 28, the DHSS of 2019, the DHSS begins to study applications to obtain permission to grow certain patients. Within 30 days after June 28, DHSS will begin issuing identification cards and culture cards for patients. If the patient is suitable, he will have permission to grow up to six marijuana plants in a secure facility or inside his home.
Unfortunately, there are many doctors reluctant to Missouri’s new medical medicine program (MMJ). The medical cannabis industry has found some of its main detractors among doctors in this state.
Fortunately, the new law has already been approved and within 30 days, patients who meet the requirements of the law can begin to cultivate. However, the problem is absolutely ridiculous: where can they buy the seeds if their sale is illegal?
Indeed, where can these patients or future doctors and dispensaries buy cannabis seeds?
The Missouri law does not say anything about it. The truth is that it looks like a banana republic law.
And it is that the federal law, on the other hand, considers that marijuana and any transport of seeds through the state limits are illegal.
Consequently, the patient is left in a situation of helplessness. How can you grow your marijuana plants legally in Missouri if you cannot even buy the seeds? Well, they cannot, at least technically.
“Shut up and do not say anything”
Lyndall Fraker, director of the Missouri marijuana program, says these words are the key: “Shut up, do not ask and buy the seeds how and where you can, that the state will look the other way”.
This implies that state regulators will look the other way while patients buy seeds outside of Missouri.
It will not happen until after December 31, 2020, that the Missouri law is updated with reality and ensures that patients can legally buy seeds or plants in the state.
Specifically, article 19 CSR 30-95.040 (4) (d) states: “After December 31, 2020, marijuana for medical use shall be grown from seeds or plants obtained from a growing establishment or dispensary licensed to Missouri. “
In other words, the state law admits that from July 28, 2019 to December 31, 2020, patients and companies will have to buy their seeds illegally.
But you have to be cautious because buying cannabis seeds and transporting them through state lines is illegal.
Other states already had the same problem and decided that it was best not to say a single word and do nothing, allowing patients and operators to do what is technically illegal.
In short, people are asked to grow cannabis plants that break the law and buy their seeds in another state and then transport them illegally.
While this situation is unsustainable, this is the current landscape of medical marijuana in Missouri.
In short: the buyer must be very careful.
