Missouri Could Legalize Medical Marijuana and Tax it 4% to Fund Veterans’ Services
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What the Initiative Does
Missouri Amendment 2 would legalize medical marijuana, tax sales at 4%, and spend the tax revenue on veterans’ services, including healthcare services, job training, and housing assistance. State-licensed physicians would be allowed to recommend marijuana use to patients with nine qualifying conditions. Patients would be allowed to grow six flowering plants in their homes, purchase up to 4 ounces of dried marijuana or its equivalent in 30-day periods, and possess up to a 60-day supply of dried marijuana or its equivalent. Finally, this ballot initiative would authorize at least 24 dispensaries in each of the state’s eight congressional districts, based on 2018 boundaries.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services would oversee and regulate the state’s medical marijuana program.
Argument in Favor
Medical marijuana can benefit many patients, who deserve to be able to access this treatment. Using tax revenue from legalizing medical marijuana to fund veterans’ healthcare would also allow Missouri to meet that population’s often-complex and expensive medical needs.
Argument Against
This is the first step to legalizing all marijuana use, which Missouri may not be ready for. Additionally, since medical marijuana use remains illegal at the federal level, legalizing it at the state level could create unnecessary legal complications.
In-Depth
New Approach Missouri is leading the campaign in support of Amendment 2 with the support of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Our Revolution, and Epilepsy Foundation of Missouri and Kansas. Sen. Claire McCaskill, who has also endorsed Proposition C, another medical marijuana legalization ballot measure, has also endorsed Amendment 2. NORML’s political director, Justin Strekal, says in support of Amendment 2:
“This is a patient-centered proposal that puts power in the hands of state-licensed physicians and their patients, not politicians or bureaucrats. Passage of Amendment 2 will create a robust statewide system for production and sale of medical cannabis. Of the three proposals on the ballot this fall, we believe that Amendment 2 is the clear choice for voters.”
Tom Mundell, chairman of the Missouri Association of Veterans’ Organizations, adds that Amendment 2 would dramatically improve veterans’ lives:
“We can dramatically improve the lives of thousands of Missouri veterans by passing this critical medical marijuana initiative petition. Our proposal will both provide veterans suffering illnesses much-needed relief and provide resources for underfunded veterans health care programs throughout Missouri."
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which prefers Amendment 2 out of the three medical marijuana legalization measures on the ballot, writes that:
“Having dissected the three measures — Constitutional Amendments 2 and 3, and Proposition C — we recommend Amendment 2... Between Amendment 2 and Amendment 3, we prefer the earmarked use of the money in Amendment 2, which will go for veteran health services, a tangible benefit to the state.”
Citizens for SAFE Medicine is leading the opposition to Amendment 2. The Missouri Farm Bureau, which opposes all three medical marijuana legalization proposals on this year’s ballot, argues that legalizing medical marijuana raises a number of issues:
“Three November ballot issues would legalize marijuana use in Missouri for medical purposes. Marijuana usage remains illegal under federal law, so legalizing its use under Missouri state law would put our state at odds with federal law and cause unnecessary legal problems. Missouri Farm Bureau’s members also believe that drug abuse is a significant problem in Missouri and across the United States. Increasing the supply of unregulated drugs to society would have detrimental impacts, so the members oppose these three measures.”
This proposal is estimated to generate annual taxes and fees of $18 million for state operating costs and veterans’ programs, in addition to $6 million for local governments. Annual state operating costs for medical marijuana are estimated to be $7 million.
There are three ballot measures on medical marijuana before Missouri voters this year, each with slightly different programmatic guidelines and revenue generation potential. If more than one of these ballot measures passes, the question of which one becomes law will likely be referred to the courts, as there’s conflict over what state laws say about this possibility. The state constitution says that when conflicting measures are approved, the one with the most votes wins. However, another statute provides separate rules for approved statutes and amendments, raising questions about what would happen if Proposition C and one, or both, of the proposed amendments passes.
Summary by Lorelei Yang
(Photo Credit: iStockphoto.com / LPETTET)
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