Medical Marijuana in Missouri

In November 2018, Missouri voters approved legalization of medical marijuana at the ballot by 66%. The law allows patients to possess and use marijuana for a range of qualifying conditions. The program is not yet operational, but the legislation requires the Department of Health and Senior Services to start accepting patient applications by July 4, 2019.

The department will establish a limit for a 30-day supply of no less than four ounces of dry, unprocessed marijuana. Patients can possess up to a 60-day supply. Home cultivation of six flowering and six nonflowering plants is allowed, provided the patient has obtained an identification card from the Department of Health, and the plants are grown in a “closed, locked facility.”

Qualifying Conditions

Medical marijuana can be recommended for any of the following medical conditions:

  • Alzheimer’s disease (agitation related to)
  • Any terminal illness
  • Autism
  • Cancer
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Chronic pain/neuropathy
  • Epilepsy
  • Glaucoma
  • Hepatitis C
  • HIV/AIDS or cachexia or wasting syndrome
  • Huntington’s disease
  • IBS
  • Intractable migraines
  • Lou Gehrig’s disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Opioid substitution
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other “debilitating psychiatric disorders”
  • Tourette syndrome
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Seizures

Any “other chronic, debilitating or other medical condition” that may be alleviated by marijuana “in the professional judgement of a physician”

How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Missouri

You must visit a state-licensed physician (not a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant) to obtain a physician certification.

Starting July 4, 2019, you can apply for an identification card from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Once your application is approved and you receive your identification card, you may purchase medical marijuana from a state-licensed dispensary. The card would be valid for 12 months.

Patients must pay a $25 registration fee and a $100 cultivation fee to grow cannabis at home.

Caregivers must be at least 21 years of age and registered with the Department of Health.

Renewal Requirements

Renewal applications must be submitted at least 30 days before the expiration of the old card. Every year, patients would have to obtain new certification from their physicians.

Where You Can Buy It

The law calls for almost 200 dispensaries distributed among Missouri’s eight congressional districts, but they are not yet operational.

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