Details of the Two Medical Marijuana Bills Introduced in Missouri
Two lawmakers in Missouri have filed proposals for the upcoming 2017 legislation to legalize medical marijuanaand create a comprehensive statewide medical cannabis program.
The two bills, Senate Bill 56, sponsored by Jason Holsman (D-Kansas City), and Senate Bill 153, sponsored byRob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph), were pre-filed earlier this month. With Republicans holding a super-majority in the state Senate, SB 153 could have the upper hand,however.
Passage of either of these bills could finally bring a true medical marijuana program to Missouri. In 2014, Missouri lawmakers passeda limited medical marijuana billto allowsome patients with intractable epilepsy access to products containing marijuana extracts with THC amounts below 0.3%.
Voters in Missouri narrowly missed out on a chance to vote on a comprehensive medical marijuana bill in the November electionswhen thousands of signatures collected by proponents were invalidated in court, leaving the measure offthe ballot. Pollingresults released in June found that 62% of Missouri voters supported the referendum, with only 27% opposed, making it highly likely that it would have been approved by voters had they gotten the chance to do so. Senate Bill 56 is very similar to the proposal that would have appeared on the November ballot.
Heres a look at the details of the two proposals filed in advance of the 2017 Regular Session, which starts on January 4, and ends May 30.
Holsmans SB 56 would allow the states Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to grant licenses for the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of marijuana for medical use. The department would be responsible for overseeing the medical marijuana program.
Under SB 56, retail sales of medical marijuana would be subject to a four percent tax, which wouldused to pay for the administration of the medical marijuana program.Any surplus revenue from collected taxes would go to theMissouri Veterans Commission to be used for health and care services for military veterans.
The bill would establish a statewide medical marijuana program, including licenced cultivators, processors and dispensaries. For patients purchasing marijuana at dispensaries, DHSS would be authorized to set a limit on how much marijuana is purchased in a thirty day period, but that limit can not be less than six ounces, according to the bill. In addition, any patient needing to purchase more marijuana than is allowed by state rules would be able to do so with recommendations from two physicians.
In addition to buying medical marijuana from dispensaries, patients and caregivers would be allowed to grow up to six flowering cannabis plants and maintain a 90-day supply of marijuana. Again, two doctors can override the 90-day supply limit if necessary for the patients needs.
Unlike many medical marijuana bills introduced in the conservative southern states, Senate Bill 56 allows for medical marijuana use for a broad spectrum of ailments,giving physicians latitude when deciding if cannabis therapy is a viable treatment.
Qualifying medical conditions for medical marijuana would include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, intractable migraines unresponsive to other treatments, chronic medical conditions that cause sevre muscle spasms (including multiple sclerosis, seizures,Parkinsons disease, and Tourettes syndrome), debilitating psychiatric disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), HIV/AIDS, any terminal illness, or any chronic, debilitating, or otherwise equivalent condition, including but not limited to hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, agitation of Alzheimers disease, cachexia, and wasting syndrome.
In addition, any chronic medical condition that is treated with a prescription medication that could lead to physical or psychological dependence would also qualify for medical marijuana if the patients doctor determines that medical marijuana could be effective in treating the condition as a safer alternative to pharmaceuticals.
Minors under the age of 18 would be allowed into the medical marijuana program with the recommendation of their physician and parental consent, but would not ...
