On Friday, the state of Missouri will allow the sale of recreational marijuana under emergency rules issued by the Department of Health and Senior Services.
On Friday, the DHSS Division of Cannabis Regulation will begin approving conversion petitions from medical dispensaries seeking permission to sell adult-use marijuana, according to DHSS Communications Director Lisa Cox.
According to Cox, nearly all of the state’s medical marijuana clinics have applied for the umbrella licence that would allow them to sell marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes. On December 8th, the first day applications were available, she indicated that 90% of those dispensaries had submitted theirs.
According to the November change to the constitution, the state has 60 days to grant or deny the request after it was submitted. Normally, this day would be February 6, but Cox has announced that starting this coming Friday, the state will start making decisions on requests to make sure the system is functioning properly.
Cox added in the statement, “Each licensee is accountable for knowing and interpreting the rules that pertain to their facility.” “As soon as comprehensive dispensary facilities are ready to resume operating under their new jurisdiction, sales to adult-use consumers (age 21 and over) may begin after conversion.”
The announcement on Thursday is four days earlier than many stores had anticipated.
Each Greenlight Dispensaries location across the state is hiring more people, staying open later, and stocking more goods. Previously, only patients with a valid medicinal marijuana recommendation were allowed entry. That’ll be different after Friday.
Greenlight partner Thomas Bommarito once stated, “Double everything, and if it’s not enough, we’ll triple it as far as people go.”
Greenlight Dispensaries are bracing themselves for unprecedented customer demand. Getting ready for the surge of recreational marijuana users requires training new staff, unpacking inventory, and advertising to the public.
There’s plenty of bloom here. Bommarito warned, “You don’t want to run out of that.
They were restricted to serving only medicinal marijuana users, as are all Missouri dispensaries. When voters were given the option in November, they chose to make marijuana use legal for adults over the age of 21. On Friday, it will officially be available in stores.
According to Greenlight, walk-ins must go through a rigorous check-in procedure. As soon as you enter, they ask you to see your driver’s licence or passport. With the start of recreational sales on Monday, store hours will shift forward by two hours, to 10:00 AM and 10:00 PM.
This occurs at a time when certain groups are worried about illegal marijuana spreading to the wrong people.
The effects of high-concentration cannabis on adolescents’ maturing brains continue to be a source of worry for PreventEd. Particularly concerning the promotion and availability of these products to our nation’s youth, we urge strict regulation of the market. Director Nichole Dawsey recommends talking to your teen about cannabis usage by visiting talkaboutitmo.com.
However, some local governments are still trying to amend their laws, which currently only permit the sale of medical marijuana.
Related Post GOP Attorneys General Caution CVS, Walgreens Against Mailing Abortion Medication In Their States
Some dispensaries might be affected, but legal experts agree that this is a murky area at best and that as long as they have a full licence, they are protected under the constitution.
Chris Chesley, the owner of Star Buds Dispensary, has been gearing up for the influx of thousands of clients expecting to buy recreational marijuana goods for weeks.
Making sure all the suppliers and shippers are on board and that everything will go off without a hitch. Adding more workers is a must. The number of employees has nearly doubled, Chesley told 5 On Your Side earlier this week.
Both the Festus and University City dispensaries belong to Chesley.
He noted the importance of working with local governments to amend regulations in order to allow for the sale of both recreational and medical marijuana. Cities cannot prohibit dispensaries with a state comprehensive licence from selling recreational marijuana on February 6. This is according to Missouri NORML attorney Dan Viets.
No municipality may impose an ordinance that would be an unreasonable hardship on the operation of these facilities, as stated in Article 14. To try to stop them from functioning, as Viets argues, would be an unnecessary hassle.
It’s essential to call ahead to a dispensary to ensure they will be open for business on February 6th, although some may prefer to wait until they have their state licence before selling recreational products.
