Medical marijuana patient, caregiver applications to be accepted early by DHSS

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri is on track to start accepting medical marijuana applications for patients and caregivers before the mandated deadline.

On Friday, the Medical Marijuana Regulation division within the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) announced the online system will start accepting applications on June 28 — nearly a full week before the deadline set in the voter-approved constitutional amendment.

Article XIV of the Constitution, the ballot measure which laid the framework for legalizing medical marijuana in Missouri, set a July 4 deadline for DHSS to start accepting applications for patients and caregivers. The department rolled out sample application forms earlier this month.

Patient and caregiver registration fees are $25, and patient (in-home) cultivation registration fees are $100. Prior to applying, DHSS encourages patients and caregivers to review the regulations in place specific to qualified patients and caregivers.

To submit an application, patients and caregivers must visit medicalmarijuana.mo.gov to enter information into the online system. Starting June 28, DHSS will accept physician certifications as an attachment to a patient’s application rather than directly from a physician. Physician certifications must be signed by a physician no earlier than 30 days before a patient applies for a patient identification card.

No medical marijuana facilities will be licensed until early 2020.