Show-Me Cannabis Archives

Hemp and Medical Cannabis Bills Advance in Missouri

May 6, 2015May 6, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

On Monday, both HB 830, which would legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp in Missouri, and SB 386, which would allow doctors to recommend CBD oil for disorders other than intractable epilepsy, were approved by legislative committees. The hemp bill was voted out of the Senate Agriculture, Food Production, and Outdoor Resources Committee with a do-pass recommendation by a six to one margin. CBD expansion received a unanimous vote and do-pass recommendation from the House Emerging Issues Committee.

Then today, HB 830 was placed on the Senate calendar for third reading! Please call your senator right away and ask them to vote yes on HB 830, the industrial hemp bill. Industrial hemp has enormous economic benefits, the potential to become a major natural resource in Missouri, and will position Missouri as a worldwide leader in agricultural innovation, advancement, and opportunity. Let your senator know you want to help promote Missouri agriculture and allow our farmers the opportunity to diversify their operations and share in a new market opportunity! You can find your senator’s contact information on the Senate website here.

Medical Cannabis and Hemp Legalization Bills Move Forward in Missouri

April 7, 2015April 7, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

By Aaron Malin, Show-Me Cannabis

Last week was an excellent one for cannabis legalization efforts in the Missouri legislature. On Wednesday, the Senate Agriculture Committee voted 5-0 to advance SB 255, which allows licensed individuals to grow industrial hemp. Along with HB 830, this bill represents the very real prospect that Missouri could return to its rightful place as a national — or even world — leader in hemp production and processing.

A medical cannabis bill advanced in the House of Representatives, when HB 800 was approved by the House Select Committee on General Laws by a vote of 8-0 on Tuesday. It is extremely encouraging to see how much support there is for medical cannabis legislation in the legislature. However, the flaws in this particular piece of legislation are mounting.

Missouri: Cannabis Oil Licenses Granted by the Department of Agriculture, Sales to Begin Soon

March 2, 2015March 2, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

By Amber Iris Langston, Show-Me Cannabis

For the first time since World War II, Missourians are allowed to legally grow marijuana. This week, the Missouri Department of Agriculture announced licenses for two recently created non-profits — Beleaf and Noah’s Arc — which will allow them to grow cannabis, produce a low-THC oil, and distribute that oil to an estimated 950 Missouri patients suffering from intractable epilepsy.

Missouri Bill to Free those Serving Life in Prison for Cannabis Takes Leap Forward

February 26, 2015February 26, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

By Aaron Malin, Show-Me Cannabis

A bill that would require the release of any offender serving life without parole for marijuana offenses has moved forward in the Missouri legislature. House Bill 978, introduced by Representative Shamed Dogan, was assigned this week to the House Corrections Committee, and a hearing was immediately scheduled for next Wednesday, March 4, at 8:00 a.m. in House Hearing Room 5. The bill would require the release of 61-year-old great-grandfather Jeff Mizanskey, who has been incarcerated for twenty-one years on a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Legislation to Legalize Hemp Filed in Missouri Senate

January 24, 2015January 24, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Missouri State Senator Rob Schaaf has filed Senate Bill 255, a proposal to legalize the cultivation and production of industrial hemp.

“Buchanan County used to be one of the main growers of industrial hemp,” Dr. Schaaf told the Saint Joseph News-Press. “We could revitalize our rural area. It grows like crazy.”

A similar bill was filed in the House last session, and received unanimous approval in the House Economic Development Committee. Unfortunately time ran out on the session before a vote was scheduled in the full House.

Missouri: Legislation Filed to Legalize Cannabis Possession, Cultivation and Distribution

December 18, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

Missouri State Representative Brandon Ellington has prefiled House Joint Resolution 15, to be discussed in the upcoming legislative session which begins on January 7th. The proposal, which is a constitutional amendment modeled after Colorado’s successful Amendment 64, would legalize the possession, private cultivation and state-licensed sales of cannabis for those 21 and older.

If approved into law, those 21 and older would be authorized to possess and purchase up to an ounce of cannabis, as well as cultivate up to six plants.

Ellington introduced a similar proposal last year; though it unfortunately stalled in committee, Ellington expresses confidence that the reintroduction of his proposal will lead to further conversation, as more lawmakers begin to understand the benefits of legalization.

Cannabis Legalization Initiative Filed in Missouri

November 7, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

Just days after the 2014 election in which two more state and the District of Columbia voted to legalize cannabis, activists in Missouri have filed an initiative to do the same, with the goal of putting the proposal to a vote in 2016.

The initiative, which was filed as a constitutional amendment, would legalize the possession of up to twelve ounces of cannabis, up to sixteen ounces of cannabis in solid form, and up to twenty ounces of cannabis in liquid form. The proposal, which would only apply to those 21 and older, would also allow for the private cultivation of up to six cannabis plants, and state-licensed retail outlets would be authorized to distribute the substance.

Initiative to Legalize Cannabis Being Filed this Week in Missouri

November 3, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

The nonprofit organization Show-Me Cannabis plans to file paperwork this week for a ballot initiative that would ask Missouri voters whether or not they want to legalize the possess, use and sale of recreational cannabis. The group, which will file the petition with the Secretary of State’s Office, is aiming to put the initiative on the 2016 presidential election ballot.

According to John Payne, executive director of Show-Me Cannabis, the initiative will be a constitutional amendment, legalizing cannabis possession and sales, while also allowing those with non-violent cannabis possession charges to have them expunged from their records.

13 Cannabis Legalization Initiatives Approved for Circulation in Missouri

January 18, 2014January 18, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander has given approval to 13 cannabis legalization initiatives, allowing advocates to begin circulating the initiatives for signatures.

Each of the 13 initiatives – which were filed by the organization Show-Me Cannabis Reform – would legalize recreational cannabis for those 21 and older, but vary on the number of plants an adult is legally allowed to cultivate, and whether convictions of previous offenders should be expunged.

To make this November’s ballot, organizers must gather 158,00 valid voter signatures by May 4th.

Activists Seek to Decriminalize Marijuana in Kansas City

April 25, 2013April 25, 2013 by Anthony Martinelli

In large part due to the efforts of Show-Me Cannabis, a non-profit, pro-legalization reform group working out of Missouri, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen recently voted 22-3 in favor of a measure to deprioritize marijuana possession. Now the group is taking aim at another major Missouri city – Kansas City. The organization is calling upon its widespread base of supporters to contact elected officials in the city, namely the city council and mayor, urging them to support decriminalizing the possession of up to 35 grams of marijuana.