Legal Missouri wants adult-use Cannabis legalized in the Show Me State, reports KMOV. They turned in more than 385,000 signatures to put the initiative on the ballot.
The group needed only 171,592 valid signatures to get the measure on the November election ballot, reports Marijuana Moment. Activists sent petitions with the signatures to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office. That office can review and certify the voter signatures to put a measure on the upcoming ballot.
The proposed constitutional amendment would allow Missourians 21 and older to possess, consume, purchase, and cultivate marijuana.
“Those People Shouldn’t Be Treated As Criminals”
“There’s certainly a lot more people than that that use marijuana in Missouri on a regular basis,” said Legal Missouri campaign manager John Payne, reports KSDK. “And those people shouldn’t be treated as criminals.
“We want to create a legal framework for them to use, purchase, and cultivate marijuana for their own personal use,” Payne said.
“This widespread and enthusiastic show of support from the people of Missouri exceeds our expectations,” said Payne. “We look forward to the timely review and certification of our petition by the Secretary of State’s Office as we continue to educate and inform voters in the coming weeks and months.”
6 Percent Tax Could Bring In $40 Million Yearly
Legal Missouri sent the petitions to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office to get legal marijuana on the ballot in the November midterm elections. The proposed amendment would allow those 21 and older to buy and grow Cannabis.
The plan taxes adult-use marijuana at 6 percent. That could bring in more than $40 million in tax revenue per year. That revenue would go to expungement costs, veterans’ services, drug addiction treatment, and the public defender system.
We’re going to have a lower tax rate than Illinois,” said Payne. Taxes on cannabis in Illinois can be upwards of 40%.
Missouri Already Has Medical Cannabis
Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment back in 2018 that established the medical marijuana program. Payne led that effort as well, according to Marijuana Moment. More than 181,000 Missourians have qualified for medical Cannabis cards.
If the amendment passes, Missouri would be the first state where voters initiated automatic expungement for past cannabis convictions. The measure expunges all non-violent marijuana offenses aside from DUI and sales to a minor.
“Those people typically don’t go to prison, but they’re still going to have a record from that arrest and that conviction,” said Payne. “This is going to wipe the slate clean for them. Yes, it’s going to let some people out of prison who are serving time for non-violent marijuana offenses.”
