The largest producers that grow more than 3,500 mature plants at a time will pay a slightly higher annual per-plant fee of $22, versus $18 for lower-level industrial farms. Production caps under the state’s medical marijuana program, founded in 2007, have been a constant source of legal challenges and criticism by patients who complain of high prices and limited supplies. Regulators are seeking authority to intervene in the event of a medical marijuana shortage with a set-aside quota of up to 25% of crops, 10% of retail inventory, and reduced licensing fees on medical pot plants. Under the new legalization law, taxes are waived on sales of limited quantities of medical marijuana, bringing the commodity in line with other medication. Microbusinesses that grow up to 200 plants would fall under a separate fee and oversight arrangement. The licensing requirements for pot producers represent only the first round of regulations for the industry as the state sets up the permit process for cannabis servers, licenses for cannabis-industry training programs, and more by the start of 2022.
Morgan Lee Associated Press, stltoday.com | the #1 St. Louis website, 05/25/2021 21:39:00