Recreational marijuana could be legal in Missouri later this year

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Voters in Missouri could have a chance later this year to decide if recreational marijuana should be legal for anyone 21 and older. 

Legal Missouri 2022, the initiative campaign to make adult-use marijuana legal, has collected more than enough voter signatures required by the Missouri Secretary of State to be added to the ballot for a statewide election later this year.

The deadline to collect over 170,000 voter signatures is on Sunday, and Legal Missouri 2022 said they’ve already collected more than 325,000.

“From Hannibal to Joplin, St. Joseph to Springfield, St. Louis, Kansas City and all points between, voters across our great state are ready to make Missouri the 20th to regulate, tax and legalize marijuana for adult use,” campaign manager John Payne said.

The proposed constitutional amendment would allow Missourians over the age of 21 to possess, consume, purchase, and cultivate marijuana. A six percent sales tax would be put on the products which would generate an estimated $40.8 million. That revenue would go to expungement costs, veterans’ services, drug addiction treatment, and the public defender system.

Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment back in 2018 that established the medical marijuana program. 

If LegalMo22 passes, Missouri would be the first state where voters initiated automatic expungement for past cannabis convictions.

There is legislation filed by lawmakers in Jefferson City to try and legalize marijuana, but with less than eight days left in the session, the chances are slim that it will get past the finish line.