Missouri’s residents may vote whether to decriminalize cannabis, thanks to a proposal submitted this week in the state’s Representatives House. The bill would dissolve the county’s current medical marijuana legislation and swap it with a less-prohibitive system that’ll serve both adult consumers and patients.
On Tuesday, Shamed Dogan, (a Republican Representative) unveiled the joint resolution ahead of the upcoming legislative session that commences in early January. Both the Senate and House would have to accent the regulation to allow the authorization issue to be determined by voters.
Dogan said that he believes in free markets and wants to regulate cannabis like the existing regulations on tobacco, alcohol and other products.
The constitutional amendment, Missouri’s Smarter and Safer Act or the HJR 30, would authorize cannabis for 21 and older adults, foster a commercial marijuana sector and tax sales at 12%. According to the joint resolution’s language, the amendment would need no special licensing beyond what applies to harvesting, cultivating, packaging, manufacturing, displaying, transferring, distributing or possession of non-toxic food products.
Growing and processing of marijuana for medical and recreational use would be permissible under the recommendation. However, the amendment offers no information on whether crop limits or other prohibitions could apply.
Activists tried to pass a resident-initiated authorization measure for last year’s election, however, the coronavirus choked signature-collection efforts. They are expected to try approving a 2022 reform that may contest with Dogan’s proposal.
Proceeds from Shamed’s proposed bill would go towards a new Missouri fund that would disburse them among state infrastructure operations, drug treatment measures and the Missouri Veterans Committee.
State courts would be mandated to remove all criminal and civil records of marijuana-only, non-violent convictions that’re no longer prohibited within 2 months of the bill’s accent. The law administration department would immediately be directed to release all individuals incarcerated for marijuana-related offences.
