A major seller of marijuana-infused chocolate bars and vape cartridges this week pushed the author of the so-called Cannabis Freedom Act to cap cannabis business licenses in his plan to fully legalize the drug, the lawmaker said. Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Defiance, sponsor of the effort to legalize cannabis, said he met with Josh Mitchem, CEO of Clovr Cannabis, and others, including lobbyist Thomas Robbins, at the Capitol to discuss the plan. The meeting came at a time when talk of legalizing cannabis is intensifying in the Legislature, where a May 13 deadline to approve bills looms. Meanwhile, backers of a competing ballot initiative, Legal Missouri 2022, face a May 8 deadline to secure approximately 183,000 signatures to make the November ballot. Hicks said he initiated the meeting with the marijuana industry representatives. “I’m not happy with people that are fighting my legislation,” he said. “Don’t fight my legislation,” Hicks said. “Come talk to me about my legislation. What is it you don’t like? Because we’re trying to get the same thing. And that’s the part I didn’t understand — is why are you fighting me on this?”
Jack Suntrup, stltoday.com | the #1 St. Louis website, 03/25/2022 21:38:00