This Week, Amendment 3 Was Ratified in Missouri. Take Note of The Following Till December 31st:

On Thursday, after a close contest in November’s general election, Amendment 3 will be added to the Missouri Constitution. The amendment clears some minor marijuana convictions from records and makes marijuana usage legal for adults.

The Full Effect of The Change Will Be To:

• Allow adults over the age of 21 to legally acquire, possess, use, deliver, manufacture, and sell marijuana for personal use;
• Possession and use under set limitations need a registration card;
  Permit individuals convicted of nonviolent marijuana-related offenses to apply for early termination of their supervised release or parole;
• Create a random drawing system to hand out permits and registrations;
• Ensure that each congressional district receives an equal number of licenses;
• Put a 6 percent tax on marijuana sales to fund social services.

Although Amendment 3 is ratified this week, the majority of its provisions won’t affect Missourians until the next year. Recreational marijuana sales might begin as early as February. While this week sees the automatic expungement of some marijuana convictions for nonviolent offenses, this is not the case for others.

After the Month of February, Marijuana Can Be Purchased for Recreational Use.

For Missouri residents over the age of 21, recreational marijuana won’t be available until at least February 2023.

Established medical marijuana dispensaries will be able to upgrade to full-fledged, recreational marijuana operations by converting their existing licenses. By February 6, 2023, the Department of Health and Senior Services must have begun issuing these license upgrades.

Dispensaries selling marijuana for recreational use might debut as soon as September 2023.
Initially, the state’s Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) must authorize a minimum of two dispensaries selling recreational marijuana in each of the state’s eight congressional districts, in addition to any medical marijuana facilities that are converted to comprehensive marijuana facilities. On September 4th, 2023, these dispensaries will be among the first to receive permission to sell recreational marijuana.

• In January, anyone will be allowed to apply for identification cards to legally grow their own marijuana.
• By February 2023, adults over the age of 21 in Missouri will be able to legally grow their own marijuana for recreational use.
• By January 7th, 2023, DHSS will have made available to the public application instructions and forms for personal cultivation registration cards. The division will start taking applicants within the next 30 days.
• There is a one-time, $100 application fee for all applicants. If you are approved for a card, it will be good for a year and can be renewed.

A person with a personal cultivation registration card is allowed to grow up to six mature marijuana plants, six non-flowering plants, and six clones (plants under 14 inches tall) for personal use alone.

Without a valid marijuana dispensary license, it is illegal to sell any form of dried, unprocessed marijuana or marijuana-infused products manufactured from farmed plants.

When Marijuana-Related Convictions Can Be Sealed

Once it is ratified into law, Amendment 3 will provide for the automatic expungement of criminal records for people convicted of certain nonviolent marijuana-related offenses. However, this is not the situation for all people.

Take a Look at This Breakdown of Events:

• Misdemeanor marijuana convictions of ex-inmates and people under the supervision of the state’s Department of Corrections will be expunged by the state’s circuit courts by July 2023.
• If a person has served their time for a felony marijuana conviction and is no longer in prison or under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, then their record will be sealed by the end of the year 2023.

Individuals convicted of class A, B, C, or D felony for possession of more than three pounds of marijuana and who have served their time in prison, including any terms of supervised probation or parole, will have their criminal records expunged by the state’s circuit courts.