A Republican Missouri lawmaker on Tuesday unveiled a bill to tax and regulate adult-use marijuana in the state. It would provide opportunities for expungements, authorize social consumption facilities and permit cannabis businesses to claim tax deductions with the state. Rep. Ron Hicks (R) filed the omnibus legislation, titled the “Cannabis Freedom Act.” He said in a memo to colleagues that the measure was drafted in a way that thoughtfully incorporates elements from “every marijuana bill filed this session” to create a “free but tightly regulated market for legal marijuana.” Here’s what the cannabis legislation would accomplish as drafted: Possession, home cultivation, and licensing The bill would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess cannabis from licensed retailers. There doesn’t seem to be a possession limit in the measure; it simply does away with existing statutes criminalizing the activity. Adults could also cultivate up to 12 plants for personal use. The Missouri Department of Agriculture would be responsible for regulating the adult-use program, just as it currently does for hemp. It would be required to develop rules to issue temporary and annual licenses for cannabis retailers, growers, processors, transporters, and wholesale distributors.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 02/15/2022 13:53:00