Mo. DHSS details plans for legal cannabis microbusiness licensing

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) - After voters approved Amendment 3 in November 2022, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) was tasked with creating a system to allow marginalized individuals to participate in the legal marijuana market.

According to a release from the Missouri DHSS, the dept. created a lottery process that grants a limited number of new small business licenses called microbusinesses. Microbusinesses are marijuana facility licenses issued only to eligible entities and individuals who may be under-represented in the new market.

There are two types of microbusiness licenses: dispensary and wholesale.

A microbusiness dispensary facility is licensed to engage in the process of dispensing marijuana products for medical or adult use, while a wholesale facility is licensed to engage in the process of cultivating and/or manufacturing marijuana products for medical or adult use, according to the release.

The Constitution requires DHSS to begin accepting microbusiness applications by September, but DHSS announced the dept. will begin accepting applications early.

Application forms and instructions will be available starting June 6 and the application window for the first round of microbusiness licenses will be from July 27 through August 10. According to the release, in October, DHSS will issue, via random lottery drawing, six microbusiness licenses in each of the eight Missouri congressional districts, for a total of 48 microbusiness licenses. Of the six in each district, two will be microbusiness dispensaries, and four will be wholesale facilities.

The Constitution prohibits submission of more than one application per drawing, so an individual or entity may only be listed on one application, regardless of the amount of ownership interests, according to the release. This limitation ensures everyone who applies has an equal chance at receiving a microbusiness license.

The Missouri Lottery will conduct the drawing without reference to the identities of the applicants using certified software to produce random results.

For more information about microbusiness licensing and application requirements, visit Cannabis.Mo.Gov.