ABOUT MISSOURI’S NEW POT LAW

Thanks to a new state constitutional amendment, recreational cannabis has been legalized in Missouri. Yes, Amendment 3 passed, but let’s not light up the sky in celebration yet. Marijuana possession laws are still on the books until Dec. 8. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and your local police department would love nothing more than to make a few more marijuana arrests for good measure before the new law goes into effect.

Attitudes toward the leafy green plant are changing. And that was reflected in Tuesday’s vote. The new adult-use marijuana law, approved by a large majority, is no panacea to true criminal justice reform. But voters sent a clear message that Missourians should not be detained, cited or arrested for minor possession of a drug now legal in more than 20 states. …

The initiative imposes a 6% tax on marijuana sales. Tens of millions of dollars per year will be split among services for military veterans, costs associated with the expungement program and more funding for the state’s public defender’s office.

The win doesn’t come without some concerns. We wish the new law could have been passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor. It will be harder to tweak or improve, now that it’s in the Missouri Constitution. Amendment 3 creates a licensing program for who can legally sell or grow cannabis. The amendment could create a monopoly in the marijuana industry — established medical marijuana companies have first dibs on recreational licenses. But Missouri voters were right to not let perfect be the enemy of the good. We remain hopeful that the amendment will put an end to needless marijuana arrests in Missouri.