Advocates Push for Medical and Recreational Cannabis in Missouri

A plan to legalize medical and recreational cannabis in Missouri was recently launched by Steve Leck of Springfield. Uniquely to this proposed initiative, no age limit has been established in order to allow younger medical patients can also take advantage of cannabis as medicine.

Leck’s initiative is one of the most ambitious legalization efforts that Missouri has seen yet. “We believe that it should be treated no differently than alcohol in terms of any adult should be able to consume whatever they want as long as they are not affecting anybody else or harming anyone else,” Leck said. An age limit was not included, because there are children who use medical cannabis for epilepsy and other medical conditions. “We’re not advocating the recreational sales to minors by any stretch,” he added.

The initiative also includes provisions to prevent unjust vehicle searches. Leck’s bill would aim to prevent law enforcement from using red eyes as probable cause and grounds for vehicle searches. “All of the sudden they are being pulled over, their rights are being violated, their car is being searched,” Leck said. “If we eliminate that, we can keep intact some of our amendments guaranteed by both the state and U.S. Constitutions.”

According to the report, Leck’s bill would ask Missouri residents if: “Missouri officials should be prohibited from assisting with the enforcement of federal marijuana offenses; individuals should be released from jail, parole and probation if convicted only of nonviolent marijuana-related crimes; all state civil and criminal records of nonviolent marijuana related crimes should be destroyed, and the taxation of physician recommended medical marijuana should be prohibited.”

According to petition papers sent to Republican Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s office, the initiative could also save the state up to $10.7 million per year and would cost the state approximately $700,000 per year to operate and increase law enforcement costs.

The bill would compete with House Bill 437, which was introduced in March, and also aims to legalize medical cannabis. A citizen-led initiative to legalize medical cannabis failed to make the ballot in 2016.