Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 was approved in 2018 as Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution, providing a right to access medical use marijuana. Article XIV allows physicians to prescribe medical marijuana for a wide variety of qualifying medical conditions, for which a medical marijuana patient can receive an identification card for a small fee. An additional fee allows the applicant to cultivate their own marijuana. The Article also provides regulations for cultivation, infused-products manufacturing, dispensary, testing, seed-to-sale, and transportation facilities. Senate Bill 610 was then proposed, permitting an employer’s termination of an employee who fails a random drug test for medical marijuana irrespective of whether the employee’s physician prescribed the medical marijuana for a valid ailment. It also allows an employer to refuse to hire a person who fails a pre-employment drug test. Emergency rules were issued for the 2020 hemp growing season in the state, which removes the acreage limit under the pilot program of 2000 acres statewide and the individual grow limit of between ten and 40 acres. In order to produce viable industrial hemp, an entity must apply for a producer registration, and in order to sell, distribute, or offer for sale any viable hemp, an agricultural hemp propagule, and seed permit must be obtained.
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