Medical marijuana meetings continue
Officials are continuing to meet in Jefferson City this week to finalize the questions that will appear on applications for medical marijuana facilities.
The Department of Health and Senior Services established 10 advisory committees — one for each of the application scoring criteria. Those panels are reviewing the questions drafted by the department and making necessary revisions.
They are also incorporating public input into the decision-making process. Public input will only be accepted until two days before a committee meeting.
The last committee to meet will be the Advisory Committee on Business Plan at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Department spokeswoman Lisa Cox said none of the approximately five meetings that have already taken place lasted for more than 30 minutes.
She said the department expected more discussion and blocked off several hours for each meeting.
At least one Missouri executive branch member sits on each committee and at least two people representing the public. The department’s lawyer also attends every meeting.
Each committee is suggesting modifications and making a final recommendation to the department. Cox said these will likely be the questions applicants will see but the department will still review the recommendations to make the final decision.
On Monday afternoon, members of the advisory committee on facilities that would make cannabis-infused products met to discuss questions pertaining to it and decide which ones would be of more importance than others. Applicants that best answer each question get scored higher.
The panel consisted of officials from the Department of Health and Senior Services, including two of their attorneys. There were two members of the public: Raymond McCarty with Associated Industries of Missouri and Dr. Christopher Riley.
Riley is the president of Riley and Rabel Consulting, which provides pharmaceutical consulting services.
Riley and McCarty said one of the most important questions they could ask potential applicants had to do with their background or plan in implementing or ensuring the consistency of the ingredients in the product.
Riley told ABC 17 News that medical marijuana manufacturing often runs parallel with how pharmaceuticals are made, and should be done with the same amount of care.
He also said worker safety will be important.
The application forms and instructions will be available June 4 but the department will not begin accepting those applications until Aug. 3. Cox said there will be about a two-week window for those applications to be sent in.
The department has already begun accepting non-refundable application fees.
Here is a link to the draft application questions and a scoring table.
