Missouri expects to spend roughly 12.4 million dollars during the current and next state budget years to fight legal battles involving the state’s new medical marijuana program. That is money that could be going to help veterans, as spelled out in the ballot measure voters passed in 2018.
During a House Budget Committee hearing, the director of the program, Lyndall Fraker, says most of the legal fees involve applicants who were denied licenses to grow, sell, and manufacture medical marijuana. He says there is a reason for limiting the number of licenses.
House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith of Carthage says the license limits have led to “staggering” legal fees and an unmet demand is encouraging a black market.
Most of the court battles center around applicants who were denied licenses to grow, sell, and manufacture medical marijuana. During a House Budget Committee hearing, Chairman Cody Smith of Carthage suggests that issuing more licenses could put an end to the legal problems.
The director of the program, Lyndall Fraker, disagrees and says if more licenses are granted, the state would be forced to spend more to regulate the industry. He also says an overabundant supply could create a black market.
