Ashcroft not in favor of ‘yes’ vote on Amendment 3

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

In less than a week, Missouri residents will have the chance to vote on Amendment 3. 

A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to remove state prohibitions on the purchase, possession, consumption, use, delivery, manufacture and sale of marijuana for personal use for adults 21 years old and older.

The amendment would also allow individuals with certain marijuana-related offenses to have their records expunged. It would also include a 6% tax on the retail price of recreational marijuana.

A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution and the sale and use of marijuana for recreational purposes will remain prohibited under current law. 

If the amendment is passed, residents could start seeing changes next year. 

This has been a hot topic over the past several months and officials like Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft are not in agreement with recreational use. 

"I'm not a big fan of marijuana use, especially recreationally," Ashcroft said. "I do think the federal government is probably wrong and that they don't even have it classified as a schedule 2 drug."

Republican Rep. Vicky Hartzler also recently held a summit to express concerns about the possibility of it passing.

John Payne, of Legal Missouri 2022, believes the legal implications for individuals would make a difference in people's lives. 

"By wiping the slate clean for those people it's going to make it easier for them to get a job, to rent an apartment because these are questions that often get asked on those sorts of applications," he said. "And they will honestly be able to say legally this never happened. There was no conviction. There was no arrest."