Missouri's Marijuana Legalization Measure Officially Approved For November Ballot

Missouri's Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft issued a certificate of sufficiency to the Legal Missouri 2022 campaign, formally placing the adult-use legalization initiative on the November ballot. 

“I encourage Missourians to study and educate themselves on any ballot initiative,” Ashcroft said in a press release. “Initiative 2022-059 that voters will see on the November ballot is particularly lengthy and should be given careful consideration.”

The initiative submitted by Legal Missouri 2022, which would expand the current medical marijuana business program by allowing existing licensees to serve both medical and non-medical purchasers, received enough signatures in all eight congressional districts to be on the November 8 ballot.

Recreational Marijuana And Automatic Expungement

Alan Zagier, a spokesperson for Legal Missouri 2022 told Benzinga, "We're very confident we're going to make the ballot."

John Payne, Legal Missouri 2022 campaign manager was also confident the initiative would make the ballot. “Having turned in nearly 400,000 signatures from Missourians who want to become the 20th state to regulate, tax, and legalize cannabis, we are confident about being on this November’s ballot.” 

According to the proposed amendment, Missourians over 21 will be permitted to possess, consume, purchase and cultivate marijuana. A six percent sales tax would be put on the products, which could generate up to an estimated $40 million. That revenue would go to expungement costs, veterans’ services, drug addiction treatment and the public defender system.

The proposed measure would allow adults to possess (up to three ounces), purchase (from licensed retailers), and home-grow (up to six flowering plants, six immature plants, and six clones) limited quantities of cannabis. It also establishes a program to automatically review and expunge those with criminal records for non-violent marijuana-related marijuana offenses. 

If the initiative passes in November, Missouri would set a precedent as the first state where voters initiated the automatic expungement of prior marijuana convictions.

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