Just over a year after voters passed Amendment 2, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) on Thursday announced the distribution of the state’s first 60 licenses for medical cannabis cultivation facilities.
The DHSS issued the first round of licenses for medical cannabis transportation facilities on Monday, December 23, and began issuing the first ten certifications for testing facilities on Thursday, December 19.
The director for DHSS Section for Medical Marijuana Regulation Lyndall Fraker says that testing facilities play an important role in the safety of the program and ensure that patients have the “best medical marijuana products available.”
According to the Department, the 60 cultivation facilities that are receiving licenses are the top-scoring facilities that meet all of the program requirements.
“I’m incredibly appreciative of Lyndall and his entire team for getting Missouri to this pivotal point,” says DHSS director Dr. Randall Williams. “The manner in which they have efficiently actualized the amendment that voters approved last year is an example of good governance.”
Fraker says that throughout the process, the DHSS has placed importance on being fair and transparent as they implement pieces of the program, opting to employ a ‘blind’ application scorer who did not have access to applicants’ identifying information.
Medical cannabis cultivation facilities that have received approval, as well as any other individuals identified on the application, will be sent notification emails from DHSS.
When approval notifications have been sent, the DHSS will then notify those whose applications were rejected.
Once all approvals and denials are issued, the DHSS will post the final ranks of all medical cannabis cultivation facility applicants to its website.
