KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri voters approved the amendment of recreational marijuana on Tuesday, but some experts advise users to pursue a medical marijuana license, despite new legislation that will make it available to anyone above the age of 21 by 2023.
It’s not the quality or potency that differentiates recreational and medical marijuana from one another, but the legal protections that a medical license provides said Anthony David, chief operating officer at Green Precision Analytics, a cannabis testing lab in Kansas City.
“I mean, if you’re using cannabis for medical reasons, as most of the patients in the state of Missouri are, having that medical card affords you protections with your employer or with your insurance company,” David said.
“I think it affords you those protections that you wouldn’t have under adult usage, so it would be the same if you’re taking Xanax that you’re not prescribed.”
David said having a medical marijuana card offers a safety net for users who come face-to-face with law enforcement or the court systems by providing them with documented proof that they are legally permitted to possess cannabis.
Marijuana card holders are protected as long as they do not carry over the limit allowed by the state, which is no more than 3 ounces within a 30-day period for recreational users and 6 ounces for medical users.
David said a medical…
