Before November 8, 2022, the idea of buying legal weed in Missouri simply covered buying weed legally for medical purposes.
But, during this year’s election season, the majority of Missourians voted “yes” on Amendment 3, putting things in motion to legalize recreational cannabis.
Although we have a few months to go before we start seeing recreational weed in MO dispensaries, the idea of buying pot in Missouri has already expanded to mean buying either medical marijuana or recreational marijuana.
Today, we will give you a breakdown of all you need to know about buying legal weed in Missouri for medical or recreational purposes.
The Current State of Cannabis Affairs in Missouri
On December 8, 2022, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) started receiving requests from existing medical marijuana dispensaries that wish to also start selling recreational marijuana.
If the DHSS approves, these dispensaries would be able to transition and add recreational marijuana sales to their existing operations in February.
Until then, any individual who has intentions of buying weed legally in Missouri must present a DHSS-issued medical marijuana card.
There are speculations that the DHSS might not meet the February target, so Missourians might have to wait a little longer than expected before legal weed becomes available.
Hence, a medical marijuana card remains the prerequisite for buying pot in Missouri until the DHSS gets everything in order for recreational sales to go live.
What to Expect When Missouri Begins Recreational Weed Sales
The legalization of cannabis in Missouri gives room for new developments in the state’s cannabis industries.
And these are welcomed developments for both medical marijuana and recreational marijuana users.
As a Recreational Consumer:
- Buying pot would be legal for adults 21 years of age and older
- You will have the freedom of buying and possessing up to three ounces of dried weed or its equivalent.
- For $150, you can get a cultivation license valid for three years, which allows you to grow weed at home for personal use; the license does not allow you to grow weed for commercial purposes.
- You will be able to grow up to six flowering cannabis plants. However, a residential building cannot have more than 12 flowering cannabis plants.
- Your weed purchase will attract a 6% retail tax and any other additional local sales taxes.
As a Medical Marijuana Consumer with a Valid Medical Marijuana Card from Elevate Holistics:
- Starting from December 8, 2022, new or renewed medical marijuana cards will have a three-year validity instead of the existing one-year validity.
- You will enjoy lower cannabis retail sales taxes, which the new amendment leaves at 4%. Also, your medical marijuana purchase will not attract additional state or local sales taxes.
- The amendment protects you from employment and workplace discrimination, loss of parental rights, and what the state describes as “unduly burdensome” penalties.
- You can get a medical cannabis recommendation from a nurse practitioner.
- With a patient’s cultivation license, you will be able to grow more than twice the number of flowering cannabis plants the DHSS allows recreational users.
- While recreational users can purchase and possess just 3 ounces of weed, the new amendment doubles the possession limit for patients with valid MMJ cards, taking it up to 6 ounces for a 30-day period.
So, can you buy a pound of weed legally? How much weed can you buy at a dispensary? What is the limit?
While the law does not allow you to buy up to one pound of weed legally, your medical marijuana card provides a window for you to double your limits to 12 ounces when you get recommendations from two physicians.
This is four times the amount of weed a recreational user can possess.
How to Purchase Weed Legally in Missouri
Buying legal weed in Missouri is hassle-free and straightforward when you follow due process.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, only Missourians with valid medical marijuana cards can purchase weed legally in Missouri at the moment.
Here is a breakdown of what you must know on how to purchase weed legally in Missouri.
Get Your Recommendation from a Certified Medical Marijuana Physician
It is important to note that not all Missouri physicians can qualify you for medical marijuana in Missouri.
To avoid wasting your money and time, we strongly recommend confirming that your physician is DHSS-verified before you seek or collect recommendations from them.
The easiest to ensure that your recommendations are from a DHSS-verified physician is by booking your consultation from a state-licensed telehealth MMJ service provider like Elevate Holistics.
Elevate Holistics boasts the most extensive network of certified medical marijuana doctors in Missouri and can help you book a quick virtual consultation with a medical marijuana doctor at a cheaper rate.
The doctor will diagnose you to confirm if you have any of the qualifying medical conditions. If so, they will recommend you for the medical marijuana program.
With the recommendation, you can proceed to apply for the state’s medical marijuana program.
Get Your Card From a Legitimate Service Provider
The physician will submit your form to the medical marijuana program, after which you can proceed to apply for the program via the state’s registration portal.
Most patients find this application process a bit confusing and mostly end up with errors that result in the DHSS rejecting their application.
That’s why over 70,000 patients rely on cannabis telehealth services providers like Elevate Holistics to effortlessly submit their forms, complete their applications, and rest assured, knowing that the DHSS will approve their applications.
The DHSS has issued notifications in the past, warning patients to beware of some fraudulent businesses that claim they can help patients get Missouri MMJ cards but end up scamming them and dashing their dreams of buying weed legally.
With Elevate Holistics, you can complete your applications in the shortest time possible and have your MMJ card printed in standard ID card format and sent to your home.
You can use your card at any Missouri dispensary whenever you feel like buying legal weed from a local dispensary or want to buy legal weed online.
Read our previous article on how to avoid fraudulent MMJ card service providers.
For Medical Marijuana Caregivers Buying Weed Legally for a Patient
Patients can choose to have a caregiver who will help them handle their purchases. This caregiver must be an adult 21 years or older.
An individual can qualify to be a caregiver by completing a Patient Authorization Form, which the patient uses to authorize the individual to be their caregiver.
The person can then proceed to complete their caregiver registration with the Missouri DHSS and receive their caregiver card.
Like an MMJ card, a caregiver ID card is also valid for buying legal weed in Missouri.
Get Your Cash Ready!
Weed is still illegal at the federal level, so you cannot use your card when buying pot at any weed dispensary in the U.S.
We advise patients and caregivers to visit their local dispensary with cash or have it in mind that they would have to use their card to withdraw cash at an ATM close to the dispensary before proceeding to the dispensary to buy weed.
Thankfully, many dispensaries in Missouri have ATMs installed within their vicinity, so you can easily withdraw cash.
Your medical card or caregiver ID card gives you access to the dispensary, and your cash makes it possible for you to pay for your purchase at the counter.
All the medical marijuana possession laws apply to a caregiver. However, the law forbids a caregiver from using a patient’s medical marijuana or selling it to someone else.
Now that you know about buying legal weed at a dispensary, but what if you want to buy legal weed online?
The Ins and Outs of Buying Legal Weed Online
Buying legal weed online is different from purchasing weed legally at a dispensary.
First off, you should know that not all Missouri dispensaries have an online presence or provide avenues for patients to buy legal weed online.
Of the dispensaries that sell medical marijuana online, some offer home delivery and in-store or drive-thru pickup, while others don’t offer home delivery.
Also, some have websites and mobile apps for better patient experience, while others only have websites.
Lastly, not all dispensaries allow you to pay for your purchase online. Most would request you pay during pickup.
If you’re interested in buying legal weed online…
- Simply access your preferred dispensary’s online channel to view their catalog. Most catalogs include flowers, pre-rolls, capsules, edibles, tinctures, topical creams, extracts, and accessories, so you can comfortably do all your medical cannabis shopping from the comfort of your home.
- Add your items to the cart and proceed to checkout.
- At checkout, the platform would request relevant information needed to record your purchase. The information could cover your choice of delivery method, delivery address, and preferred delivery time. They will also request information they can use to record your purchase in the state’s tracking system.
- Then proceed to select your preferred payment method.
Click here to learn more about buying legal weed online and why it might be a better option for you.
Note that recreational consumers will not be able to buy weed online.
Buying Legal Weed in Missouri Gets Easier With Elevate Holistics
Buying weed legally in Missouri has never been easier.
With thousands of astonishing reviews to our name, Elevate Holistics stands tall as MMJ patients’ choice for medical marijuana doctor consultations, medical marijuana card applications, and numerous other cannabis-related concerns in Missouri and the United States at large.
Feel free to reach out to us any time you need guidance on MMJ issues. More importantly, contact us today to renew or get your Missouri MMJ card and receive the all-new medical card with a three-year validity.
