recreational marijuana

While thousands of patients cross the border with medical cards in hand, countless more are buying recreational cannabis without a prescription. That’s unlikely to change as some Kansas lawmakers signal resistance to medical legalization in 2025.

A Missouri appeals court ruled last week that the constitution’s “plain, unambiguous” language means cities and counties cannot stack marijuana sales taxes. Here's why that could mean cheaper cannabis in Kansas City.

The Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District determined that counties don't have authority as a local government to impose an additional sales tax on recreational marijuana. In one case, cannabis customers paid a total sales tax of nearly 21%.

A circuit court in May ruled that both a county and a local municipality can impose a 3% sales tax at dispensaries in their jurisdictions. That's led to marijuana sales tax rates of nearly 18% in some places.

Following a lawsuit from the state's hemp industry, Missouri health regulators will stop embargoing products simply because they contain hemp-derived THC. Instead, they'll focus on identifying "misbranded" products.

Under Missouri's new rules that require plain packaging for marijuana products, items must be individually approved by the state. Licensees were up against a Sept. 1 deadline, and not all got the green light, meaning some manufacturers are sitting on products they can't sell.

Parson's joint task force between the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control and Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office will seek to get unrelated hemp-derived edibles off of shelves, and build an investigation into "deceptive marketing practices."

Parson says psychoactive hemp-derived edibles are dangerous to children. But Missouri hemp producers say they're trying to run legitimate businesses.

Gov. Mike Parson signed an executive order to remove all hemp-derived THC edibles and beverages from store shelves and threatening penalties to any establishment that continues selling them. But industry leaders say the ban goes too far.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft contends that Gov. Mike Parson did not prove that restricting establishments with liquor licenses from selling hemp-derived edibles and drinks was an emergency.

“As best I can tell, you denied this emergency rulemaking because you believe hurt feelings are more important than protecting children,” Gov. Mike Parson wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.

The drug is currently legal in Missouri for adults 21 and older. But the federal prohibition makes it difficult for businesses in the state to get access to bank loans. U.S. Senate candidate Lucas Kunce said he supports changing that.