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April Showers Bring Cannabis Flowers!
The first medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri opened October 2020, but patients across the state still lack access to the natural relief of therapeutic cannabis. A slow rollout of the retail portion of the state’s program is mostly to blame, and lawmakers are currently fighting about how to resolve the problem.
As a resident of the Show-Me State, however, you can take matters into your own hands and start growing your own medical marijuana! Voters in Missouri decided that they were not going to leave their health entirely up to lawmakers and regulators, and they made sure that Amendment 2 included rules set forth for growing as well as dispensary sale.
Missouri law allows Missouri marijuana cardholders to grow their own medical marijuana, and registered caregivers can also grow for cardholding patients.
When you grow your own or have a caregiver growing your medicine, you will always know the process behind your product, and what went into it. You can tailor your plants, ensure access to your preferred strains, and you will always know if fertilizers and pesticides were used.
Why Should I Grow My Own Medical Marijuana in Missouri?
Visiting a Missouri medical marijuana dispensary is a thrilling experience. You can often smell the sweet aroma of cannabis the moment you are led through the second set of doors, and freely browsing the selection is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face.
However, the reality of sticker shock setting in may be enough to keep many medical marijuana patients away for the time being. Additionally, visiting your nearest medical marijuana dispensary may feel more like an extended road trip than a visit to your local shop to reup on your supply.
Save Money by Growing Your Own Missouri Medical Marijuana
One of the top motivators for growing your own medical marijuana is the fact that you can save a fortune. While lawmakers grapple over the fact that their program doesn’t create an environment of accessibility for patients suffering from chronic pain, PTSD, cancer, and other debilitating conditions, you could be preparing for your first harvest by midsummer.
This means that the money you spend getting started is an investment in your future. You won’t have to keep spending $50 or more for ⅛ of an ounce of Cherry Kush. Instead, the money you spend after you pay for your permits will be on buying any equipment you decide you need to grow the best cannabis around.
Get Medical Marijuana Close to Home by Growing Your Own
When you grow your own medical marijuana or have a caretaker grow for you, you won’t have to drive very far (if at all) to get your supply. No more filling the gas tank and waiting for the hour or more drive home to test out your goods.
Instead, all you have to do is harvest your flower, process with the method of your choice, and enjoy whenever you want!
DIY Medical Marijuana Formats Means More Flexibility
Currently, most dispensaries have a limited supply of medical marijuana products. While inventory is expanding, processing your own product means that you have access to almost any format you can imagine.
You can learn how to make your own concentrates, use medical marijuana in edibles like brownies, cookies, and even salad dressing, use it for your own homemade topicals, and really anything else you can imagine.
Guarantee Consistently Available Medical Marijuana Strains
Cost is not the only problem turning Missouri medical marijuana patients off to visiting dispensaries. One of the more frustrating problems people are facing is the lack of consistency with availability.
If you find the strain that hits the spot for you and relieves your symptoms like never before, then you want to be able to find that same strain when you go back for your next refill. But that’s not quite the way it works at dispensaries across the state. They are subject to supply. And right now, supply is lacking until Missouri can get its cultivator shortage straightened out.
The nice thing about growing your own medical marijuana is that you are in charge of your own supply. The only thing standing between you and a bountiful harvest of that Lavender Diesel is time to grow and plenty of (artificial or natural) sunshine.
I Want to Grow My Own Medical Marijuana - Where Do I Start?
Once the euphoria of deciding to grow your own medical marijuana wears off, you may start feeling a little lost about what to do next. Never fear. Missouri Marijauna Card is here to help you get your bearings and start your new journey with confidence.
Get Your Missouri Marijuana Card and Cultivation License
You need to have a Missouri marijuana card in order to legally purchase and possess medical marijuana. And you need a cultivation license in order to grow your own cannabis plants. Fortunately, you can apply for both together!
After you have a HIPPA-certified telehealth evaluation with one of the caring doctors at Missouri Marijuana Card, you simply submit your application for a card and select that you also want to grow. You will then have the opportunity to detail the security measures you intend to have in place for your facility.
Under rule 10 CSR 30-95.010 of the medical marijuana program set forth by the Department of Health and Senior Services, your growing location must be accessible upon request by any official from the department.
The facility can be a bedroom closet, a basement corner, an outdoor shed, or a number of other options. It must be fully enclosed and locked, and it cannot be accessible to anyone except for the patient or a caregiver. If the location is outside, it cannot be visible to the unaided eye from ground level or any level on adjacent permanent structures.
When filling out your application, you will be asked to provide the address and a detailed description of the grow site, and you will be required to pay the $100 fee upon submission.
Gather Your Supplies for Growing Medical Marijuana at Home
You can grow your medical marijuana outside, but it still has to be in an enclosed location that is not accessible from the top or sides. So you will likely need to have your grow location fed by at least a supplemental light source.
A DIY grow box is an inexpensive, simple way to get started. Or you could go all out and work with The Weed Squad to build the growing set-up of your dreams. From basic to bougie, there are tons of options for what your grow facility will look like.
You can start with something as simple as seeds in flower pots in a locked closet with a couple of grow lights, or you can go all out with a custom grow tent in your garage.
Whatever you choose to do, you are on your way to getting control of your treatment and finding better health.
Check Out Online Resources for Getting Started Growing Medical Marijuana at Home
There are plenty of resources online where you can find all the information you need in order to be well on your way to growing the best medical marijuana you can find. Check out the Missouri Marijuana Card Grow page for the basics, and to get access to a free grow guide.
Take a Class to Learn More About Growing Medical Marijuana
There are a couple of course offerings for people wanting to learn more about the best techniques and strategies for growing medical marijuana at home. The Weed Squad offers consultations and grow operation building support. Elite Home Growers Association offers classes to get you started.
Talk to Friends and Family Who Grow Medical Marijuana
If you’ve got friends or family who grow medical marijuana, there is no better place to get advice. Most people who grow are happy to share everything they’ve learned, and they may even share seeds from their prize strains with you as well.
Final Thoughts on Growing Medical Marijuana in Missouri
Voters in Missouri chose to allow independent access to medical marijuana by making it legal to grow plants at home. This means that you do not have to rely on market supply and demand, and you can simply reap the benefits of your own medicinal harvest when the time comes.
Getting started is simpler than it may seem. All you need is a Missouri marijuana card with the additional cultivation permit, and you are already a leap closer to legally finding your own relief whenever you need it.
Your grow site can be as simple as a locked closet with a couple of lights, or it can be a custom-built box with all the bells and whistles. Either way, learning about the tricks and techniques that work for you will be almost as rewarding as that first dose of your homegrown therapeutic cannabis.
Get a Missouri Marijuana Evaluation Today!
If you haven’t gotten your medical marijuana card yet, then now is the time to schedule a telehealth appointment with one of the compassionate doctors at Missouri marijuana card. Get a marijuana card today, and you’ll be ready to grow before you know it!