ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – A produce stand that sold cannabis in bulk raised eyebrows and dropped jaws at St. Louis’ historic Soulard Farmers Market. Now, the “Bud Man” stand will not be allowed back at the market until further notice.
Visitors couldn’t believe their eyes on Saturday. There were large bins of unwrapped cannabis buds for sale. One sign advertised “10lbs. for $5,000.” More and more people started gathering around the stand, taking photos, and posting them on social media.
Operators of Missouri’s licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, like Missouri Wild Alchemy in O’Fallon, worry the Soulard stand will add to the confusion in an already confusing industry.
The marijuana at Missouri Wild Alchemy contains potent enough levels of THC to cause a “high” when smoked or ingested. It’s also tightly regulated by the State of Missouri with strict labeling and tracking of sales.
That is not what’s being sold along with produce, flowers, seafood, and firewood at Soulard Market. The “Bud Man’s” products fall into the legal CBD category, according to officials with the City of St. Louis.
CBD is widely sold with no strict state licensing requirements because it does not contain intoxicating levels of THC, though it can provide pain and anxiety relief for users.
However, city officials are concerned about another sign at the “Bud Man” stand: It advertised Delta-8 THC products. Delta-8 is not intoxicating in small amounts, but can be in larger ones.
Greg Hayes, the Director of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry which oversees Soulard Market, issued a statement saying:
“Our department reviewed this particular vendor’s prior request & we worked directly with legal counsel to ensure the necessary compliance with state law guidelines. We also created an addendum provision regarding the sale of CBD products. The vendor had provided the city with a notarized document that all products at this particular stand were tested and within the legal parameters. The vendor’s request did not include any Delta 8 products.”
The “Bud Man” stand will not be allowed back at Soulard Market, he said, until city officials could clear up any confusion over exactly what was being sold.
For licensed medical marijuana dispensaries like Missouri Wild Alchemy, it’s important that Soulard Market, even a roadside stand, have rules to follow.
“Certainly seeing it in tubs like that on the side of the highway could seem a little concerning to us who are trying to serve the community with lab-tested, quality THC,” said Alexandria Hitchcock of Missouri Wild.
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