One bill in the Missouri House would legalize recreational adult-use marijuana in the state and open the door for nonviolent marijuana offenders to petition for expungement. Meanwhile, advocates are circulating an initiative petition in an effort to place legalization on the November 2022 ballot.
The advocates who successfully campaigned for a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana in Missouri in 2018 are continuing to push the state toward recreational legalization of cannabis, but sharp disagreements have arisen over fairness in the market.
The House Rules Committee on Tuesday afternoon advanced HB2704, called the Cannabis Freedom Act. It awaits full consideration on the House floor. The bill would legalize recreational adult-use marijuana in Missouri, double the number of license holders statewide and open the door for nonviolent marijuana offenders to petition for expungement.