Missouri's Division of Cannabis Regulation announced new proposed rules Monday afternoon for its marijuana microbusiness program designed to combat predatory practices during the application process.
The division published a draft of the rules on its website and is asking for public feedback before it submits the proposal to the Secretary of State's office on January 6.
"These revisions are intended to ensure microbusiness licenses are issued to eligible individuals… and to address the trend of predatory arrangements in microbusiness licensing," the division said in a press release announcing the proposed changes. "Specifically, these draft rule revisions should mitigate the ongoing efforts of ineligible entities to acquire licenses by taking advantage of eligible individuals."
Since Missouri voters approved recreational marijuana in 2022, state regulators have used a lottery system to award 96 microbusiness licenses — a program sold to voters as a way to help victims of the War on Drugs get a toehold in the burgeoning cannabis industry.
Read more at Missouri Independent