DHSS publishes results of cannabis microbusiness licensees’ eligibility review

With the passage of Amendment 3 in November 2022, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) was tasked with granting a limited number of new small business licenses called “microbusinesses.” These licenses are small businesses that are designed to provide a path to legal marijuana facility ownership for individuals who might not otherwise easily access that opportunity. The Missouri Constitution provides that individuals who meet at least one of the eligibility criteria set forth in Article XIV, Section 2, may apply for a marijuana microbusiness facility license. On July 24 of this year, the department issued 57 total licenses.

A minimum of six microbusiness licenses were to be awarded to each of the eight Missouri congressional districts, with each district receiving two microbusiness dispensary licenses, and four microbusiness wholesale facility licenses. An additional nine licenses have been made available in this second round of applications due to the revocation of licenses from round one for rule violations. The additional licenses are issued across the six congressional districts where the licenses were revoked. Prior to issuing the licenses, the Department conducted a review of the drawn applications to determine whether applicants were eligible to receive a license.

Per Section 2 of Article XIV, the chief equity officer is to conduct the eligibility review within 60 days of issuance of the licenses and make the results available to the public. The review was completed Sept. 20, and results are available at Cannabis.Mo.Gov. The report includes which eligibility criteria were cited among the microbusiness licensees in the application process as well as the numbers of licenses whose eligibility was certified versus those whose eligibility was not certified.

Licenses that are not certified as eligible are subject to revocation. Notices of pending revocation provide a 30-day response period, in accordance with Article XIV and 19 CSR 100-1, during which licensees may submit records or information demonstrating why the licensee is eligible and should not be revoked. All revoked licenses will be added to the available licenses awarded in the next application timeframe.