Problems in medical marijuana rollout cause tense discussion among lawmakers | State NewsPosted by On

JEFFERSON CITY- Lawmakers questioned the Department of Health and Senior Services about problems with medical marijuana rollout in a committee hearing Monday.

Members of the House Budget Committee argued that millions of dollars in legal fees and potential increases in the price of marijuana at dispensaries are the result of a limited number of licenses issued for dispensaries and other facilities.

When asked how much they are planning to spend on ongoing litigations, Lyndall Fraker, the director of medical marijuana regulation with DHSS, said “right now, we project about $6.2 million is what we’re going to spend” this fiscal year, with more to come.

Rep. Cody Smith, R-Carthage, chairperson of the House Budget Committee, questioned Fraker about the fees and asked if the department had considered issuing more licenses to alleviate some of the legal challenges.

Fraker said limiting the number of licenses available and limiting the amount of marijuana a patient could purchase per month, were what Missourians voted for in the Amendment.

He said they set up the program based on what they believed the patient base would be. Limiting the amount of marijuana a patient could purchase per month — four ounces — made it easy to project how much marijuana would be needed to serve qualified patients.

“And that’s why we knew that an unlimited…

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JEFFERSON CITY- Lawmakers questioned the Department of Health and Senior Services about problems with medical marijuana rollout in a committee hearing Monday.

Members of the House Budget Committee argued that millions of dollars in legal fees and potential increases in the price of marijuana at dispensaries are the result of a limited number of licenses issued for dispensaries and other facilities.

When asked how much they are planning to spend on ongoing litigations, Lyndall Fraker, the director of medical marijuana regulation with DHSS, said “right now, we project about $6.2 million is what we’re going to spend” this fiscal year, with more to come.

Rep. Cody Smith, R-Carthage, chairperson of the House Budget Committee, questioned Fraker about the fees and asked if the department had considered issuing more licenses to alleviate some of the legal challenges.

Fraker said limiting the number of licenses available and limiting the amount of marijuana a patient could purchase per month, were what Missourians voted for in the Amendment.

He said they set up the program based on what they believed the patient base would be. Limiting the amount of marijuana a patient could purchase per month — four ounces — made it easy to project how much marijuana would be needed to serve qualified patients.

“And that’s why we knew that an unlimited…



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