Using a 2015 national survey, the National Institute on Drug Abuse determined that marijuana is the most frequently used illicit drug. However, recent changes in public opinion and state laws have begun to call marijuana’s illicit status into question.

According to the Pew Research Center, “About six-in-ten Americans (62%) say the use of marijuana should be legalized, reflecting a steady increase over the past decade.”

This data represents a remarkable degree of social progression, as the number in favor of legalization was just half that in 2000. The result has been rapid changes in marijuana laws across the country, and Missouri is no exception.

During the 2018 midterm elections, Missouri residents also voted on three ballot initiatives addressing medical marijuana. Amendment 2 passed with 65.5 percent of the vote, altering the constitution to permit patients with a number of conditions to safely and legally access medical cannabis with approval from a licensed physician.

“Under the new law, qualified patients who have approval from their physicians will receive identification cards from the state that will allow them and their registered caregivers to grow up to six marijuana plants and purchase at least four ounces of cannabis from dispensaries on a monthly basis,” reported Forbes.

To create a regulated supply, the state will also issue licenses for marijuana cultivation, dispensaries and infused products. A four percent tax on marijuana sales will be used to provide services for military veterans.

“The Department will begin accepting applications for cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensing facilities on Aug. 3, 2019 and we anticipate medical marijuana may be available for purchase as early as January 2020,” according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Despite these changes to the legality of medicinal marijuana, Missouri has yet to fully address decriminalization, the status of CBD and recreational use.

There is an often misunderstood difference between decriminalization and legalization.

“Decriminalisation does not mean that people can use drugs with impunity,” according to the Economist. “Instead it means that possessing small amounts no longer lands the perpetrator with a criminal record or jail sentence.”

Legislation passed in 2014 partially decriminalized marijuana possession in Missouri, but possession of amounts more than 10 grams may still incur jail time. As of April this year, further decriminalization is being debated in the Missouri House of Representatives.

“The bill would reduce the punishment for possessing less than 100 grams of marijuana to an infraction,” as reported by KRCU.

Ten states and the District of Columbia have fully legalized marijuana, meaning consumers are free to possess the drug without risking fines or jail time. Full legalization also means licensed businesses can grow and sell marijuana for recreational use without punishment.

Missouri has not yet fully legalized marijuana or the use of CBD products outside of treatment for seizures, but the product is commercially available in neighboring Kansas. Despite the legality of CBD, recreational marijuana remains illegal in Kansas. Possession of the drug is considered a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months of incarceration for the first offense.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-addictive compound derived from the cannabis flower that, unlike THC, can be used therapeutically without causing marijuana’s historically beloved high.

KC Hemp Co is a family-owned business that sells CBD products in the Overland Park area. The local store owners claim CBD may help treat anxiety, depression, mood and poor sleep, as well as physical problems like pain and inflammation. Their company has recently garnered social acceptance in a community where its products may have been unwelcome as little as a year ago.

“Thankfully… communities like Overland Park and the organizations within them are opening their minds, [the owners] added, noting that KC Hemp Co. was named Downtown Overland Park’s best new business of 2018,” as stated in Startland News.

Another portion of the debate around legalizing medical marijuana stems from a lack of research. Doctors and patients remain in the dark about how marijuana could be used to treat different conditions or replace other medications.

“Because the federal government considers marijuana a Schedule 1 drug, research on marijuana or its active ingredients is highly restricted and even discouraged in some cases,” according to NPR article.

The University of Mississippi is the only government contractor permitted to grow marijuana for federal government funded research, and their plants have proven insufficient for scientists’ desired breadth of study.

“Last year, the Drug Enforcement Administration had been gearing up to allow facilities other than the University of Mississippi to grow pot for research,” NPR reported. “But after the DEA received 26 applications from other growers, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions halted the initiative.”

One of the biggest questions facing Missouri voters this November is whether or not to increase the state gas tax – the question posed by Proposition D. The gas tax currently sits at 17 cents per gallon, one of the lowest in the Midwest. It would increase by 2.5 cents every year for four years, a total increase of 10 cents. It is estimated that the tax would generate at least $288 million annually for the Highway Patrol and $123 million annually to local governments for road construction.

The bill containing this measure, which was sponsored by State Rep. Jean Evans (R-Manchester) passed the House by a vote of 88-60 back in May.

Proponents of the tax argue that there are many bridges and roads in need of repair and the tax would help pay for those repairs.

“We have major projects that need to be worked on here in Kansas City,” said State Rep. Greg Razer (D-Kansas City).

However, there are some who oppose the tax.

“We’re increasing revenues for the state and taking it out of the pockets of hard-working Americans,” said State Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R-St. Peters).

There are also many citizens who are wary about paying the government more in taxes.

If the tax increase gets at least 50 percent approval, the tax will be 27 cents per gallon by 2022. Although citizens will be paying more, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and cities would use the extra money – a projected $288 million – on road and infrastructure projects.

Missouri Amendment 2, which is backed by New Approach Missouri, is one of three medical marijuana initiatives on the ballot. It proposes legalizing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, a tax rate of 4 percent on marijuana sales and spending the tax revenue on health care services for veterans.

Missouri Amendment 3, which is financed by Springfield attorney and doctor Brad Bradshaw, would also legalize medical marijuana, but with a tax rate of 15 percent and the revenue would go towards a Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute. According to Bradshaw, the amendment “will create 10,000-plus new jobs and it will create billions of economic impact for the state of Missouri.”

The third and final medical marijuana-based initiative on the ballot is Proposition C, which is supported by Missourians For Patient Care. It has the lowest tax rate among the three initiatives at two percent and the revenue will go to many areas, including education and law enforcement. As a proposition, it differs from the other two as it is a new law, while the other initiatives are amendments.

If any one of these initiatives passes, Missouri would join 30 other states in legalizing medical marijuana. The initiative you vote for really depends on whether you want a higher or lower tax rate, and where you want that money to go. If both amendments pass, the one with the most yes votes will take effect.

Opponents argue that medical marijuana leads to an increase in crime, while proponents see many benefits – not only for patients but for the economy as well.

The other big initiative on the ballot is Proposition B, led by Missouri Business for Fair Minimum Wage and Raise Up Missouri. If passed, the minimum wage would increase every year until it reached $12 in 2023. It would then increase or decrease based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. Employers who paid employees under the minimum wage would also be penalized under this initiative. The current minimum wage in Missouri is $7.85.

The proposal would result in an increase of more than $1 billion in consumer buying power in Missouri, according to an analysis conducted by the Economic Policy Institute. It would affect over 670,000 Missouri workers by the time it is fully implemented.

Lew Prince, treasurer of Raise Up Missouri, argues that “[r]aising wages for low-income workers would cut government spending and save taxpayer money.” Other proponents argue that people can’t afford basic necessities at the current minimum wage.

Opponents, like Rep. Warren Love (R-Osceola), argue that the government shouldn’t interfere in these issues and cite studies that question if a higher minimum wage is beneficial for the economy.

These are some of the issues facing Missouri voters this election. There will be a total of four amendments and three propositions on the ballot. A sample of the ballot can be seen here.

For any of these initiatives to pass, they will need at least 50 percent of the vote.

The midterm elections are Nov. 6. I strongly encourage everyone to not just go out and vote but to also do research and make informed decisions regarding these important issues. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “[d]emocracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.”

Photo courtesy of riverfronttimes.com.