Two separate bills have been pre-filed in the Missouri Senate that would implement a more comprehensive medical cannabis program. Senate Bills 153 and 56 would expand the current regime, which currently only permits CBD use for epileptic patients.
Senate Bill 153, filed by Republican Sen. Rob Schaff, would allow patients with a limited number of qualifying conditions to register under the program with the Department of Health. The proposed list includes 14 conditions, specifically; HIV/AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord damage, inflammatory bowel disease, severe migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and neuropathies.
The measure would permit registered patients to possess a 30-day supply and contains provisions “regarding the seizure of medical marijuana.” The bill text does not indicate what the tax rate would be under the plan.
Senate Bill 56, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jason Holsman, has similar regulating provisions and permits for many of the same conditions as its counterpart but adds post-traumatic stress disorder. Both permit for the regulating body to add conditions. It provides for a 4 percent and would divert those funds to a “Missouri Veterans’ Health Care Fund” which would be created under the measure.
Neither measure has yet been assigned to a committee.