KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri is in the midst of a pot shortage.
Originally, the state anticipated $60 million in sales since recreational marijuana hit shelves. Instead, sales have almost doubled that.
Industry insiders say out-of-staters have pushed demand much higher than expected. Some producers estimate that nearly half of all sales in the Kansas City area are coming from people living in Wyandotte and Johnson counties.
It is a scenario leading to a lot of money – and a lot of people wanting a piece of it.
At the Sheraton Kansas City, the Lucky Leaf Expo, focused on the marijuana business, targeted newbies wanting to get involved.
“Personally and professionally, I was a former school teacher. So if any of my students out there see this, hello and hi. But I am interested because I feel passionate about cannabis and I know its healing properties,” Amanda Weiss, one person attending the expo, said.
“So many questions – one is how to meet demand,” Erin Womack, director of operations for the Lucky Leaf Expo, said.
“Medical marijuana organizations are the ones granted the first ability to start selling the adult use – so right now there’s a lot of people really excited to get in the state lotto. There’s 144 licenses being issued for people…
