Missouri Cannabis Statistics 2022-2023
- The initiated constitutional amendment will require 8% of votes cast for the governor.
- Citizens passed one amendment by the ratio of 66%:34%
- Cannabis grown on 22500-sq feet will be enough for 69,272 patients in Missouri
- Marijuana has boosted the economy by $200 million.
- The 10 650 cannabis prisoners can be reduced if it is legalized.
- A black person is 2.6 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than a white person.
- 4 out of 5 people aged 50-80 don’t support marijuana for recreation.
- 747 suicides have been reported due to cannabis use
Missouri Cannabis Facts 2022-2021
In Missouri, cannabis is illegal as a recreational drug. It was passed into law in 2018 to be used for medical purposes. However, there is what seems like a tug of war on its pros and cons. Below, we are going to use statistics to zoom in on these issues. The citizens of Missouri state will have to go to the ballot on 8th November 2022 concerning the push that seeks to see the law that legalizes cannabis for recreation passed. The required votes that will qualify the initiated constitutional amendment will be 8% of the votes cast for governor in the last gubernatorial election.
However, the citizens already voted for one of the three medical marijuana measures for the use of cannabis for medical reasons. The amendment passed by 66%: 34%. As outlined in the law, a patient will require an identification card from a physician to freely buy and use cannabis. They will be allowed to grow up to 6 marijuana plants and shop for the rest in the dispensaries. (Source – HighProfileCannabis)
That said, the amount of cannabis produced in the state of Missouri must be closely monitored to avoid excesses in the market. Too much of it will lead to illegal use. To avoid this, the number of cultivators must be between 10-15 licensed persons, cultivating on 22,500-sq ft of land. This means Missouri will produce a total of 48,473.1 pounds in 2022 for its 69,272 patients, which is sufficient. This will also reduce $200 million from the state’s budget in prison expenditure as even the possession of paraphernalia such as pipes, grinders, and bongs can get you jailed for over 90 days.
If legalized to be freely used by persons of 21 years and above, cannabis will boost the economy by generating millions of dollars. After just 14 months after the first legal sale, its estimated that cannabis sales will hit $200million. In addition, 300 dispensaries have been started, thereby creating employment. As proposed, taxes on cannabis will not exceed 12%. This is a good rate that is generating revenue for the state.
Missouri Marijuana Statistics and Facts 2022-2023
In 2020, 10,650 people were arrested in Missouri for possession of marijuana. If recreational cannabis is legalized, first, prisoners arrested with possession of cannabis will be able to file for expungement. Secondly, the number of people going into prison will be reduced. The Fair Access Missouri filed several petitions aimed at opening the market for everyone. If this happens, more jobs will be created, and more people can access it at a lower price.
However, even legal cannabis has its negative side. An example is elevated racism when arrests are made. In Missouri, a black person is 2.6 times more likely to be arrested than a white person for marijuana. 50% of those arrested had marijuana. Also, half of the drugs apprehended made in 2018 were cannabis. It means that this drug is still in high circulation. But we can change all of these if recreational use of marijuana is made legal.
In contrast, 4 out of 5 people between the age of 50-and 80 don’t support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes. 40% of those say they only support its medical use. However, they still call for deeper research to be done. Specialists at U-M Medical school agree with the older generation on the need for more research being carried out. 6% agree to ever using marijuana for medical reasons, while 18% know someone that has used it.
Studies have shown that there were reported suicide cases resulting from the overuse of cannabis in the state of Missouri. Among adults 18-25 years, there have not been too many deaths reported. This might be because their use of cannabis is majorly out of influence, unlike adults of 26-40 years who have become dependent on it. In 2012-2013 suicide among marijuana users in Missouri was higher than in any other state, with 747 suicide cases reported. At least 271,000 adults over 25 years experienced one major depressive episode, while 139,000 seriously thought about suicide.
In addition, since the recreational use of cannabis is yet to be passed, it is important to understand that if you are found with marijuana without identification from a registered physician, you will land in trouble with the law. Under Missouri law section 579.015, possession 10grams and below of cannabis is a class D misdemeanor and has a fine of $500. Possession of more than 10 grams but below 30 grams will result in a fine of $2000 or a one-year jail term. Possession of 35 grams and above will cost you seven years in prison. Although 35 grams might seem a lot for a person who uses it for medical reasons, it is just a small amount for people who use it for recreation.
Finally, as per the statistics, legalizing cannabis is inevitable, and currently, many use cannabis for medical reasons. Though certain people have some doubts, the benefits outweigh the negatives. However, research is still ongoing, and if reasons to stop legalizing it outweigh the reasons not to, its ban will continue. Also, when all research is done, teams of doctors, lawyers, and critics will most certainly have a chance to vote on whether to legalize cannabis.