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Ozark and Douglas County Sheriff’s Departments enforcing home-grow compliance, while a KC mayor ends pre-employment THC drug tests for city, county employees.
Residents of Ozark County who have a home cultivation ID attached to their Missouri marijuana cards may have gotten a bit of a fright last week. The Ozark and Douglas County Sheriff’s departments teamed up on July 21 to patrol SW Missouri in a helicopter borrowed from the state. Meanwhile a few hours North, Kansas City has passed a resolution to end pre-employment testing for THC.
Ozark, MO Patrolled for Non-Compliant Marijuana Plants
The Ozark operation was intended to find non-compliant growers. While some illegal plants were seized, no cannabis grown within the regulations set forth by the DHSS were taken, and no arrests were made. The Ozark County Sheriff’s Office asserted on its Facebook page, “Contrary to assertions made to our office and to various elected officials, no federal troops were involved, no guns were seized, no men in black suits were present.”
It’s an important note that no guns were seized, because Governor Parson recently signed a bill into law making it illegal to enforce Federal gun laws in the state. Marijuana is still considered a Schedule I substance within the Federal Government, and it is a Federal crime to possess marijuana and own a gun at the same time. This has been a major concern for Missouri marijuana card holders, but it’s looking like MO law enforcement is just as concerned about protecting Second Amendment rights as residents are.
Additionally, area law enforcement only seized marijuana plants that were not in compliance with the state program. The department noted on its Facebook page that “It was nice to visit with folks who were following the law. Other locations were not legal and not in compliance. Marijuana was seized and our investigations are continuing.”
The takeaway here is that anyone who grows their own marijuana plants in Missouri must be in compliance with state law, or they are at risk of having their plants seized.
Kansas City Mayor Files Ordinance to Stop Pre-Employment THC Drug Testing
Mayor Quinton Lucas has filed an ordinance making it illegal for most city employees to be required to submit to pre-employment drug testing for marijuana. Lucas stated that no one should be shut out from working for the city just because they use or have used marijuana while off the clock. Particularly since Missouri has legalized medical marijuana, and adjacent states have recreational laws.
Employment concerns are another issue stopping many MO residents from getting a marijuana card even if they have a qualifying condition. But Kansas City is leading the way in destigmatizing the use of cannabis to treat medical symptoms.
There are, however, a few exceptions to the rule. People applying for a position in safety, medical, or transportation are not exempt from pre-employment testing.
Compliance Has Been the Theme With Missouri Medical Marijuana In July
The medical marijuana market in Missouri has been extremely political, and it at times seems a bit like the Wild West. Many larger dispensaries have been generating a vibe and running promotions that resemble a recreational market more than a medical one, and the message from lawmakers and law enforcement has been mixed at best.
However, now that Missouri medical marijuana is growing up, so to speak, the DHSS and law enforcement have been cracking down on violators. Dispensaries have been notified that they will be required to take down promotions that are brand-specific or seem to be intended to get patients to buy a particular product, and now law enforcement is actively seeking out non-compliant growers of marijuana.
Get a Missouri Marijuana Card to Stay Legal With Your Cannabis
While officials may be cracking down to ensure compliance with the Missouri marijuana program, there is one way to guarantee that you stay out of trouble. Get yourself a Missouri marijuana card today, and legally purchase medical marijuana from any licensed dispensary in the state.
When you add a cultivation ID onto your marijuana card, you can have up to six flowering marijuana plants, six nonflowering plants, and six clones in your home growing operation at any given time. They must be labeled, locked away so that they are only accessible by you, and they must not be visible from any floor of adjacent buildings or public thoroughfares. However, as long as you follow the basic compliance requirements set forth by the DHSS, growing your own marijuana is legal in Missouri.
Give Missouri Marijuana Card a call at (877) 303-3117 or schedule an appointment to see one of our marijuana doctors today, so you can start legally getting access to the natural relief you deserve!
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
At Missouri Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (877) 303-3117, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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