DHSS: 2,163 medical marijuana facility applications submitted in Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) received 2,163 online applications by 4:30 p.m. Monday from those hoping to obtain licenses from DHSS for cultivation, dispensary, manufacturing and testing laboratory facilities for the state’s medical marijuana program. The application system received over 1,200 applications in the final three days, including over 800 applications in the final 24 hours. Thus far, DHSS has received over $13 million in application fees.
“I am extremely proud of the team we have built who have been responsible for getting us through this pivotal point for implementing a medical marijuana program for Missourians,” said Lyndall Fraker, director of DHSS Section for Medical Marijuana Regulation. “I am confident that we are developing the best program in the nation, partly through the help of so many collaborative citizens, and the astounding number of applications we received represents the level of interest and enthusiasm from people who want to be a part of this with us.”
As established in Article XIV of the Constitution, taxes on medical marijuana sold and money collected by DHSS through fees–after covering the program’s operating expenses–will be transferred to the new Missouri Veterans’ Health and Care Fund.
Additional information, including facility type and proposed location of each of the 2,163 applications will be made available by DHSS in the coming weeks. Staff resources are currently committed to reviewing applications for completeness, as authorized by 19 CSR 30-95.040(1)(B)4.
A third-party blind scorer will soon begin reviewing and scoring the Evaluation Criteria Scoring Questions for all facility applications, stripped of any identifying information. DHSS will then license 60 cultivation facilities, 192 dispensaries, 86 medical marijuana-infused manufacturing facilities and 10 testing laboratory facilities. Applications must be approved or denied for licensure by DHSS within 150 days of the application submission date.
Learn more at medicalmarijuana.mo.gov.
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About the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: The department seeks to be the leader in protecting health and keeping people safe. More information about DHSS can be found at http://health.mo.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter @HealthyLivingMo.
