Franklin County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Franklin County?

Cannabis cultivation for medical and adult use is legal in Franklin County. Medical cannabis was legalized in 2018 in the State of Missouri by Article Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution. In 2022, Amendment 3 added Section 2 to Article XIV of the Constitution, thereby legalizing adult-use cannabis for individuals aged 21 and older.

The Division of Cannabis Regulation of the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is in charge of licensing and regulating medical and adult-use cannabis in the state. However, applications for the comprehensive cultivation facility license were no longer accepted as of August 2023.

The Franklin County Unified Land Use Regulations Zoning Chart only allows medical marijuana facilities, and only in particular zoning districts of unincorporated areas of the county. Medical cannabis cultivation facilities are permitted to do indoor cultivation only, and only in the W, B, A, and G district zones. The Zoning Verification Form must be submitted to the county Planning and Zoning Department for approval, with a $35 fee charged.

In February 2023, the DHSS granted the conversion of the licenses of 56 medical cannabis cultivation facilities to comprehensive cannabis cultivation facility licenses that are allowed to grow both medical and adult-use cannabis crops. Throughout the state, 67 licensed cultivation facilities were operating as of July 26, 2023.

On October 2023, the DHSS will grant four cannabis microbusiness wholesale licenses in each congressional district of the state, with four more to be issued for each district in 2024, and another four each in 2025. This license is only for marginalized small business owners. It authorizes the cultivation of a maximum of 250 mature cannabis plants and the manufacturing of medical and adult-use cannabis products from them.

Cannabis home cultivation for personal use is allowed by the DHSS for medical cannabis cardholders who also hold a cultivation permit, as well as persons aged 21 and older who hold a consumer permit for personal cultivation. The application for the latter is made on the Missouri Medical Marijuana Portal.

Cannabis growing for personal use must be done in a completely enclosed section of the grower's home, secured against thieves, and concealed from the public. A personal grower may cultivate up to six mature plants and 12 non-flowering plants, six of which must be less than 14 inches tall. Licensed caregivers are permitted to cultivate cannabis for the personal use of multiple patients, but only up to 24 mature plants and 48 non-flowering plants, 24 of which must be less than 14 inches tall.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Franklin County?

Medical and adult-use cannabis product manufacturing in Franklin County is legal as mandated by the State of Missouri’s amended Article XIV. The cannabis-infused product manufacturing facility license from the DHSS is required but as of August 2023, applications were not being accepted.

The Franklin County Unified Land Use Regulations Zoning Chart only permits medical marijuana manufacturing facilities with up to five employees in the W, B, A, and G district zones. Medical marijuana manufacturing facilities with more than five employees are only permitted in the A and G district zones, and only conditionally in the W and B district zones.

In February 2023, the DHSS approved the conversion of the licenses of 72 medical cannabis manufacturing facilities into comprehensive cannabis-infused product manufacturing facility licenses allowed to manufacture cannabis products for both medical and adult use. Across the state, 89 licensed cannabis-infused product manufacturing facilities were operational as of August 16, 2023.

In October 2023, the cannabis microbusiness wholesale license awardees of the DHSS will also be allowed to manufacture medical and adult-use cannabis products.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Franklin County?

Medical and adult-use cannabis retail selling in Franklin County is legal as stipulated by Article XIV of the State of Missouri, as amended. The cannabis dispensary facility license granted by the DHSS is mandatory but applications for this license were not being accepted as of August 2023.

The Franklin County Unified Land Use Regulations Zoning Chart only permits medical marijuana dispensary facilities in the B, R, A, and G district zones.

In February 2023, 207 medical cannabis dispensary license conversions were approved by the DHSS into comprehensive cannabis dispensary facility licenses allowed to sell cannabis and cannabis products for both medical and adult use. The state had 215 licensed cannabis dispensary facilities as of July 26, 2023.

On October 2023, the DHSS will grant two cannabis microbusiness dispensary licenses in each congressional district of the state, with two more to be issued for each district in 2024, and another two each in 2025. This license will only be granted to marginalized small business owners.

The State of Missouri allowed adult-use cannabis retail selling to start on February 3, 2023. Under Article XIV, licensed medical and adult-use cannabis dispensaries are allowed to sell raw cannabis, edible cannabis products, ingestible cannabis products, cannabis intended for vaping and smoking, and topical cannabis products.

Consumers aged 21 and older are permitted a per-transaction limit of three ounces of cannabis or its equivalent.

For medical cannabis cardholders, the purchase limit is equivalent to six ounces of cannabis and cannabis products every 30 days. If the patient requires more, certification is needed from a DHSS-registered and state-licensed physician or nurse.

The licensed dispensary is required to scan the bar code at the back of the purchaser's medical cannabis card before each medical cannabis transaction in order to record the information on the online registry.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Franklin County?

The licensed delivery of medical and recreational cannabis in Franklin County is legal in accordance with the State of Missouri’s Constitution Article XIV and its amendments. Medical cannabis and its products may be delivered to the homes of medical cannabis cardholders while adult-use cannabis and its products may be delivered to the residences of consumers aged 21 and older.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Franklin County

The application of Franklin County residents for a medical cannabis card must be made through the Medical Marijuana Portal of the State of Missouri. Prior to that, the patient must be diagnosed and certified by a state-licensed and DHSS-registered physician or nurse to be suffering from any of the qualifying ailments listed below:

• Cancer
• A debilitating psychiatric disorder diagnosed by a state-licensed psychiatrist
• Glaucoma
• Terminal illness
• AIDS
• Epilepsy
• Severe chronic muscle spasms or pain
• Any debilitating chronic medical condition
• Intractable migraine
• HIV
• A chronic ailment that requires prescription medication, but for which medical cannabis is safer
• Other debilitating chronic medical conditions, like:
  • Huntington’s disease
  • Wasting syndrome
  • Autism
  • Hepatitis C
  • Neuropathies
  • Cachexia
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Agitation of Alzheimer’s disease

If the patient is permitted to acquire more than six ounces of medical cannabis each 30-day period, the specific quantity of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products permitted must be specified in the certification.

Within 30 days of getting the certification, the patient has to finish the application online. A Parent/Legal Guardian Consent Form must be submitted with the application for patients under the age of 18. A Patient Authorization Form must be signed by the adult patient appointing a caregiver. A government-issued picture ID and a clear passport-type digital photo are also necessary to confirm identity and age. Once the patient's application is approved, the caregiver must apply online as well.

The medical cannabis card has a three-year validity period and is processed in about 30 days. The digital card will then appear on the registry account and can be downloaded or printed.

Inquiries may be sent to the following:

Division of Cannabis Regulation

PO Box 570

Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570

Toll-Free Access Line: 866-219-0165 Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.mm CST

Email: Cannabisinfo@health.mo.gov

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Franklin County?

From February 3 to February 5, 2023, alone, nearly $12.69 million in cannabis sales were transacted in the State of Missouri, according to the Division of Cannabis Regulation. Medical marijuana generated nearly $4.2 million, while adult-use cannabis generated more than $8.5 million.

Every retail purchase of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products is subject to a state sales tax of 4% under the State of Missouri Constitution's Article XIV, while every retail purchase of cannabis and cannabis products for adult use is subject to a state sales tax of 6% under Article XIV Section 2. Counties and municipal governments may additionally levy a local sales tax of up to 3% on adult-use cannabis and adult-use cannabis products.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Franklin County

Medical cannabis was legalized in Franklin County in 2018, and adult-use cannabis was legalized in 2022.

Data sent by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office to the FBI Crime Explorer page shows that in 2017, a year before the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 84 marijuana possession arrests and one marijuana sales arrest, totaling 85 marijuana offense arrests.

In 2019, a year after the legalization of medical cannabis, there was one marijuana possession arrest and no marijuana sales arrests.

In 2021, the latest data showed two marijuana possession arrests and no marijuana sales arrests.

The number of DUI arrests during those years was as follows:

• 2017: 123 arrests
• 2019: 39 arrests
• 2021: 18 arrests