Medical marijuana laws take effect in Missouri

Medical marijuana is now the law in Missouri.

The provisions of the voter-approved Amendment 2 took effect on Thursday, making Missouri the 32nd state in the U.S. to allow use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The drug won’t be available to patients right away. The Department of Health and Senior Services is still working on rules and regulations surrounding the licensing of dispensaries and cultivators, as well as how patients will obtain licenses.

The law restricts prescriptions of marijuana to people with certain diseases, such as cancer, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder. Jack Cardetti with the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association told ABC 17 News that now is the time for patients to speak with their doctors about medical marijuana.

“For the first time today, Missouri doctors have a legal protection that they can start to talk with patients about whether or not marijuana is an appropriate treatment option,” Cardetti said.

MU Health Care spokeswoman Caroline Dohack said the organization has not changed any policies yet now that medical marijuana is legal.

“We will be monitoring guidance from the state on this topic and will follow all appropriate laws and regulations,” Dohack said.

Dean Linnemin, head of DHSS’ regulationS and licensure office, said it was still working through specifics on how it would handle applications for medical marijuana cards. The new law gives DHSS until June 4, 2019 to make the applications available. Patients can begin turning those applications in on July 4.

When DHSS gets a patient application, along with a doctor’s note, it has 30 days to accept or reject the application. Cardetti said these early conversations with a doctor can make the process easier on patients.

“This isn’t just something where you say, ‘Hey, here’s an application, I want to be a medical marijuana patient in Missouri,'” Cardetti said. “Start to have that conversation now with your doctor, that’s important.”