Media Contact:
Lisa Cox
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
 

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) will accept the second round of microbusiness license applications electronically, through the online registry portal from April 15 – 29. Issuance of licenses is expected to occur in July of this year.

On Oct. 4, 2023, the Department issued 48 microbusiness facility licenses, completing the first of three rounds for awarding microbusiness licenses as required in Section 2 of Article XIV. Microbusinesses are marijuana facility licenses that are only issued to eligible entities and individuals and are designed to allow marginalized or under-represented individuals to participate in the legal marijuana market.

Ahead of the application acceptance timeframe, the Department advises microbusiness applicants of the following:

• Per Article XIV section 2.4(12) an entity, which includes individuals, may apply to the Department for and obtain only one license to operate a marijuana microbusiness facility, which may be either a microbusiness dispensary facility or a microbusiness wholesale facility.
• A microbusiness applicant may not have an owner who is also an owner of an existing medical, comprehensive, or another microbusiness marijuana facility license or certification. This limitation ensures everyone who applies has an equal chance at obtaining a microbusiness facility license.
• Pursuant to Article XIV, winners of microbusiness licenses are to be selected via random lottery drawing. To ensure the integrity of the applicant selection process, the Missouri Lottery will conduct the drawing without reference to the identities of the applicants.
• After the application submission window closes, qualifying applicants will be sorted by congressional district and license type (wholesale or dispensary); then, assigned a sequential applicant identifier within those groups. Each group will be considered its own lottery set, for a total of 16 lottery drawings.
• All timely applications submitted with application fee will be entered into the lottery drawing. Untimely applications, or those submitted without an application fee, will be denied and will not go to lottery.
• Applications submitted into the lottery drawing will be listed in the order drawn within each congressional district. All applicants will receive an email notice prior to being sent to lottery with their applicant identifier.
• The lottery will take place in June 2024. The lottery drawing results will be posted to the Department’s website as soon as they are available.

Those needing assistance with eligibility requirements or application forms can contact Facility Application Services at CannabisFAS@health.mo.gov

The Department is committed to providing enhanced communications and educational opportunities ahead of the second round of microbusiness license. For information on microbusiness outreach events, applicant eligibility requirements, instructions on how to apply or how to subscribe to email updates, visit Cannabis.mo.gov.

Consumer Safety & Education

While the adult-use cannabis program was built based on guidelines approved by Missouri voters, DHSS, as the state’s public health authority, asks consumers to consume cannabis with caution. Adult consumers are encouraged to review the health effects of cannabis prior to consuming. Some important points of caution include the following:

• Individuals should not use cannabis if pregnant as doing so may harm the baby’s health.
• Individuals should not operate a vehicle under the influence of marijuana. This remains illegal and dangerous as driving requires a person’s full attention to stay safe and alert. Marijuana can slow one’s reaction time and ability to make decisions, impair coordination and distort one’s perception.
• Adult consumers should ensure products are not accessible to those under age 21. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the teen brain is actively developing and continues to develop until around age 25. Marijuana use during adolescence and young adulthood may harm the developing brain.
• Edibles, or food and drink products infused with marijuana, have some different risks than smoked marijuana, including a greater risk of poisoning. Unlike smoked marijuana, edibles can:
  • Take from 30 minutes to 2 hours to take effect, so some people may eat too much, which can lead to poisoning and/or serious injury.
  • Cause intoxicating effects that last longer than expected, depending on the amount ingested, the last food eaten, and medications or alcohol used at the same time.

Children, adults and pets can mistake marijuana products, particularly edibles, for regular food or candy. Consuming marijuana can make children very sick. They may have problems walking or sitting up or may have a hard time breathing. If you have concerns of possible poisoning, call the Missouri Poison Center at 800-222-1222, or 911 if it is an emergency.

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Mission of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS): To promote health and safety through prevention, collaboration, education, innovation and response.