Cannabis News

Applications For Missouri Marijuana Microbusiness Licenses Will Open Next Month

Published

6 hours ago

June 29, 2026

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“We have a lot of tutorials, and we also provide a step-by-step guide. Anyone could sit down and make the app. I don’t think it’s challenging.”

By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent

Application window win one of Missouri’s 77 micro-business marijuana licenses through a lottery selection it will be open from July 13 to 27.

The selection lottery is scheduled for Sept. 9, and the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation expects to issue licenses in December, according to a press release issued Monday.

Microbusinesses are marijuana facility licenses issued to entities and individuals designed to allow marginalized or underrepresented people to legally participate in the marijuana market.

Lesley Turek, the division’s capital manager, has been traveling the state this month to educate people about the application process.

“I really feel that microenterprise graduates are, first and foremost, a community of people who help each other,” he said. “They’re the ones who are driving this program forward, so I’m looking forward to meeting new people and sharing as much as I can about the program. It’s a great program.”

Much of what is being worked on is the new rules that went into effect at the end of May…In 2024 the proposed cannabis regulators will remove a large number of licences Because of unconstitutional property deals.

The new rules, he said, allow regulators to conduct extensive scrutiny before licensing, rather than after. Furthermore, they give a more in-depth explanation of what it means to “have and operate the majority” of the License, which is a requirement in the Constitution.

Regulators are mandated to communicate directly with majority owners and require applicants to complete a compliance course before applying and after receiving a license.

The microbusiness program was passed by voters in the 2022 constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana.

In Missouri, there are seven categories in which people can qualify for a micro-business license, ranging from lower income or living in an area considered poor, to past arrests or incarcerations related to marijuana offenses.

Applicants pay a $1,500 application fee if not selected. The Missouri Lottery will select 77 license applicants to open dispensaries or cultivation facilities. The goal is to fill the remaining gaps in the minimum 144 micro-business licenses mandated by the Constitution.

Turek believes the application is relatively simple and something people can complete on their own, unlike the much more complicated application for comprehensive licenses.

“We have a lot of tutorials, and we also offer a step-by-step guide,” he said. “Anyone can sit down and do the app. I don’t think it’s a challenge.”

The part that most people often don’t understand is everything that comes with owning a marijuana facility.

“It’s very expensive, it’s very regulated, and so it’s challenging,” he said. “I want to make sure people have a clear understanding beforehand so they can make a good decision whether they want to apply for this program.”

A big part of his presentation was that the majority of the licenses should be owned by and eligible people. They must have more than 50 percent of the authority to direct the decisions made with the license.

“It’s more than a percentage of ownership,” he said. “It’s really about being able to have that control over it.”

It also talks about the designated contact, and why in the new rule the regulators will require that the designated contact be the applicant or the eligible person with the majority of ownership.

The designated liaison role was conceived as a way to ensure clear communication between the state and licensees.

Instead, state regulators discovered it many named contacts have kept real applicants in the dark about business and licensing. Applicants are locked into agreements that limit their voting power and profits in the business.

That’s why the state now requires pre-application training, a three-video online course to ensure applicants understand “potentially predatory practices,” regulators said in response to public comments during the rulemaking process.

The press release It says those who need help with eligibility requirements or application forms can contact the facility’s application services (email protected).

Educational dissemination events for micro-enterprises

Personal forums:
June 22 – 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Kansas City

Webinars:
June 24 – from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m
June 29 – from 18:00 to 20:00

Registration is required for in-person and virtual sessions. Interested participants can register at Microenterprise education. Additional information on the microenterprise program is available here cannabis.mo.gov.

Those requiring assistance with eligibility requirements or application forms may contact Facilities Application Services at (email protected).

This story was first published by the Missouri Independent.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Cannabis News

cbdMD welcomes White House call for fair treatment of hemp-derived products

Published

6 hours ago

June 29, 2026

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cbdMD welcomes the Administration’s call for Congress to ensure fair treatment of hemp-derived products under federal law and calls for immediate action to revise hemp regulations to ensure fair treatment of hemp products under federal law.

In a letter to congressional leadership this week, the White House Office of Management and Budget identified hemp reform as a priority strongly supported by the Administration. The petition calls on Congress to ensure fair treatment of hemp-derived products by maintaining access to appropriate full-spectrum CBD products, and by maintaining Congress’ intent to reduce products that pose health risks. The administration also urged Congress to pass a responsible federal framework or at least extend the current implementation period to give lawmakers time to get policy right. The request builds on the president’s previous public statements urging lawmakers to protect access to full-spectrum CBD products that millions of Americans rely on.

“We are encouraged to see the administration so clearly championing the responsible, scientific hemp products that consumers depend on every day,” said Ronan Kennedy, CEO of cbdMD. “cbdMD has always believed that the future of this category is built on quality, transparency, and clear rules that separate them from bad actors. A federal framework that protects consumer access, promotes safety, and provides certainty to companies that provide certainty is what this industry and the people it serves deserve. We applaud the policymakers who are working to achieve this outcome.”

“We believe CbdMD is purpose-built for this next phase of the market,” added Kennedy. “Our focus remains on serving our customers with reliable and effective products, supporting responsible regulation and building long-term value for our shareholders as the category continues to evolve. Along the way, we will continue to evaluate the opportunities this evolving environment holds.”

For more information:
cbdMD
cbdmd.com/

Cannabis News

RAND estimates Indiana adult-use cannabis could yield $180M in annual revenue

Published

1 day ago

June 28, 2026

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Two new RAND reports commissioned by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation outline the policy options and financial commitments facing Indiana as the state debates whether to change its cannabis laws amid restrictions across the country.

Reports show that 44% of Indiana residents live within 50 miles of a licensed dispensary in a neighboring state, and 96% live within 100 miles, as three of Indiana’s four states have legalized adult-use cannabis. At the same time, intoxicating hemp products containing the same psychoactive compound as marijuana are available at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores throughout Indiana with limited oversight.

Cannabis use in Indiana has doubled in the past decade, with a significant increase among adults 26 and older. RAND estimates that 1.3 million Hoosiers used cannabis in 2024 and spent $1.8 billion on marijuana products that year. Indiana recorded more than 13,000 cannabis-related arrests in 2024, with more than 90% for possession and more than 75% for non-cannabis related charges. The state spends $10 million to $20 million annually on cannabis law enforcement.

Rather than recommending a specific policy, the RAND reports outline four broad options: maintaining prohibition, reducing criminal penalties for possession, legalizing medical cannabis, or legalizing the adult recreational use market. Legalizing adult-use cannabis would generate about $180 million in annual state revenue, roughly 1 percent of the state’s general fund, well below some previous projections and less than half of the $385 million in combined cigarette and alcohol tax revenue Indiana will collect in 2025, according to the Indiana Department of Revenue.

Legalization would also entail significant upfront costs, and ongoing regulatory costs could reach the low tens of millions of dollars annually, outweighing the savings from reduced criminal justice spending. RAND identifies 14 policy considerations important to establishing legal markets, each with its own public health and state economic implications.

Cannabis News

Virginia Governor Proposes Amendments To Budget Containing Marijuana Legalization—Without Suggesting Cannabis Changes

Published

1 day ago

June 28, 2026

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Virginia’s governor has proposed changes to the budget legislation passed by lawmakers this week, but those changes do not include changes to provisions to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana.

They have also failed to respond to the concerns of advocates who called for a section to be dropped significantly increase the penalties for public consumption of cannabis– as they say, according to the new state data obtained, it will be established in a discriminatory race.

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) sent her proposed budget amendments to lawmakers on Friday, which will require the House and Senate to reconvene before enacting the general legislation and its marijuana provisions before the July 1 budget deadline. Lawmakers hope to do so on Monday.

Budget project approved by the Parliament It has provisions that allow for the legalization of the sale of recreational marijuana— but the current $25 fine for using cannabis in a public place would also rise 900 percent to $250 — an increase that advocates call a “poverty penalty.”

A coalition of advocacy groups led by Marijuana Justice this week released new enforcement statistics obtained through Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that show that “legalization has not ended racially biased marijuana policing.”

Analysis of state data shows that since the commercial legalization of cannabis took effect in Virginia in 2021, 185 whites and 179 blacks have been charged with public consumption, meaning that, based on the state’s population, blacks are three times more likely than whites to face such marijuana charges.

Spanberger did not change the penalty increase in the proposed amendments, and he did not suggest any changes to the marijuana section of the bill.

Marijuana Justice and the ACLU of Virginia, the National Organization for Marijuana Law Reform, the Marijuana Policy Project, the Drug Policy Alliance and the Latino Cannabis Alliance, among others, recently sent a letter. asking lawmakers and the governor not to increase the punishment for cannabis“saying it will deepen racial and economic inequality.”

“Increased fines and penalties for low-level marijuana offenses are not neutral,” the organizations wrote in a letter to Spanberger and lawmakers. “They are imposed disproportionately against black and brown communities, create unaffordable debt for low-income people, and can cause significant damage to immigration, housing, education and employment.”

Spanberger last month vetoed an earlier measure to legalize the sale of recreational cannabis, after lawmakers rejected proposed amendments to the plan. Later, with Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D) and Del. He negotiated a deal with Sen. Paul Krizek (D), who sponsored the previous measure, that was included in the budget legislation passed this week.

The new plan differs significantly from the previous legislation in several ways.

For example, it sets the start date for the sale of recreational marijuana to July 1, 2027, compared to the Jan. 1 date proposed by Spanberger and passed by lawmakers.

It also limits public possession and purchase of marijuana to 2 ounces per transaction, above the legal limit of one ounce. Legislation approved by lawmakers earlier this year would allow adults to have 2.5 ounces.

The bill also gives Spanberger language to raise the tax on marijuana from 6 percent to 8 percent after two years of legal sales.

As a compromise, the new deal would punish public marijuana use with a civil penalty of $250, a significant increase from the current law’s $25, but harsher than the Class 4 felony called for in the governor’s proposed changes to the previous bill.

Legislators In March he approved the initial bills for the sale of cannabisbut the governor then proposed changes to the legalization proposal—including delaying the start of sales by six months, increasing taxes and introducing new criminal penalties for cannabis users. The the April legislature refused to adopt the amendments when reassembled in a one-day session, however, effectively excluding them. Spanberger then vetoed it.

Spanberger said this month that he was “Really productive” and “incredible” conversations with lawmakers about working on a compromise approach to legalizing the sale of adult cannabisand Marihuana Moment reported on the ongoing talks.

The governor, on the other hand, has tried to explain his veto publicly, including saying that it is his opinion. “Taking a bit longer” to get to market is not something he sees as a “negative”. because getting the details right is more important than getting it done quickly.

A recent survey found that A bipartisan majority of Virginia voters wanted Spanberger to sign the cannabis legislation become law, and that they did not particularly agree with the desire to slow down the period for the launch of legal sales.

The governor recently acknowledged this in a separate interview “A lot of people are not happy” with the veto of cannabis legislation. “Friends and family are also upset,” he said.

Spanberger has answered it repeatedly Criticism of the cannabis amendments from bill sponsors and advocates saying that the suggested changes came after him He spoke with leaders of other states that have already established adult marijuana markets.

However, a spokesman for Spanberger declined to name any other governors who spoke about cannabis in response to a question from Marihuana Moment.

The governor tried to explain his veto in a previous interview, reiterating that he supports the launch of a legal cannabis market but worried about what he called a “fast-track timeline” and “a lot more stores across Virginia” than he thought were appropriate.

Personal possession of marijuana and growing marijuana at home has been legal in Virginia since 2021, but then the govt. Glenn Youngkin (R) twice vetoed bills to provide consumers with a way to legally purchase adult cannabis.

Here are the key details of the new cannabis plan the budget and how it compares to the legislation Spanberger vetoed…SB 542 and HB 642-Also the previously proposed changes to these measures:

Adults would be able to purchase up to 2 ounces of marijuana in a single transaction, or up to an equivalent amount of other cannabis products, as determined by regulators. That would mean going over the current legal limit of 1 ounce. Lawmakers previously proposed setting the limit at 2.5 ounces, and the governor wanted only 2 ounces.
Legal sales can begin on July 1, 2027. Lawmakers had previously set a date of Jan. 1, 2027, but the governor wanted to push it back to July 1.
A 6 percent excise tax would be imposed on the sale of cannabis, as well as 5.3 percent on retail sales and use, and municipalities would impose an additional local tax of up to 3.5 percent. Starting July 1, 2029, the state excise tax would increase to 8 percent, in line with the governor’s previously proposed amendments.
Proceeds would be distributed to the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund, early childhood education, the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Health Services and public health initiatives. The measure previously approved by lawmakers would have allocated specific percentages to each, but the new language does not specify what share of the revenue will go to each program. The governor, in his amendments, wanted to put all revenue into the general fund “for purposes such as early childhood education, behavioral health, public health awareness, prevention, treatment and recovery services, workforce development, reentry, indigent criminal defense and targeted reinvestment in historically disadvantaged communities.” His amendment also sought to eliminate support for the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund.
The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority will oversee licensing and regulation of the new industry, and will also take over oversight of hemp, which falls under the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. A five-member board of directors appointed by the governor would lead the body, and the bill previously approved by lawmakers called for a seven-member body, four appointed by the governor, two appointed by the Speaker of the House and one appointed by the Senate Rules Committee.
The definition of what constitutes a legal hemp product would be narrowed by removing a provision that contains more than 2 milligrams of total THC per package if they contain a CBD to THC ratio of 25:1 or greater.
350 retail marijuana shops would be allowed to operate statewide, the same number approved by lawmakers and more than the 200 proposed by the governor.
Local governments should not allow marijuana businesses to operate in their area.
Delivery services would be allowed.
Serving sizes would be limited to 10 milligrams of THC, with no more than 100 mg of THC per package.
Public use of marijuana would be a civil violation punishable by a $250 fine. That’s ten times the $25 fine under current law, but more severe than the governor’s proposed Class 4 felony. Possession of cannabis by anyone under 21 would be subject to a $25 fine and mandatory participation in a substance abuse treatment or education program or both. The governor suggested treating possession by minors as a Class 1 felony, punishable by a mandatory minimum fine of $500 or 50 hours of community service, as well as a driver’s license suspension of at least six months.
Existing medical cannabis operators could enter the adult-use market if they pay a $10 million license conversion fee.
Cannabis businesses should implement peaceful labor agreements with their employees.
A legislative committee would direct the addition of local consumer licenses and micro-enterprise cannabis event permits that would allow licensees to hold sales at farmers markets or pop-up locations. This provision was also included in the legislation approved by the former legislators, but the governor proposed to delete it.

Meanwhile, the governor signed several other reform bills this session, including measures Resentment relief for people with past cannabis convictions, protecting the parental rights of marijuana users and giving patients access to medical cannabis in hospitals.

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