2022 Missouri Constitutional Amendment 3, also known as the Marijuana Legalization Initiative, was a
ballot measure
A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
to amend the
Constitution of Missouri
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law formulating the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution, and the people. The fourth and current Missou ...
to
legalize cannabis at the state level in Missouri. The measure was on the November 7, 2022, general ballot and was approved by voters with a margin of 53–47 percent.
Contents
The amendment appeared on the ballot as follows:
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is directed to conduct cannabis licensing and regulation.
The provisions of the amendment would officially go into effect on December 8, 2022.
Campaigns
There has been opposition to the scheme's licensing caps giving an advantage to existing medical dispensary license holders due to existing medical license holders being first in line for recreational licenses, raising questions about "fairness and equity".
A competing bill without caps was introduced in the state legislature. It failed after it was amended with two provisions labeled "poison pills", including licensing caps. There has also been opposition due to there not being an automatic expungement of criminal records.
Protect Our Kids PAC opposed the initiative.
In March 2022, the Missouri ACLU endorsed the initiative.
History
Amendment 3 was filed with the secretary of state for approval in August 2021, and was qualified for signature gathering on October 6, 2021. The sponsoring organization's campaign manager said on May 4, 2022, that they were "confident" that the number of signatures collected by that date, a few days before the deadline, "provides the necessary cushion to qualify for the ballot". On the May 8 deadline, twice the minimum number of signatures were submitted. On August 9, 2022, The
Missouri Secretary of State,
Jay Ashcroft
John Robert "Jay" Ashcroft (born July 12, 1973) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 40th Secretary of State of Missouri from 2017 to 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he is the son of former U.S. Attorney General Joh ...
, certified the initiative to appear as Amendment 3 on the November ballot.
In August 2022, on the last day of the 10-day challenge period following certification, the prohibitionist organization
Protect Our Kids funded a lawsuit to remove the initiative from the November ballot. The lawsuit was dismissed on September 9.
The Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are distributed to its members, major ...
used the suit as an example of "pushback against the initiative process
hat
A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...
is part of a several-year trend that gained steam as groups aligned with the
Democratic Party have increasingly used petitions to force public votes on issues that
Republican-led legislatures have opposed". On September 13, the deadline for challenges, the state supreme court allowed the initiative to appear on the ballot by refusing to review a lower court's decision to reject an appeal.
In September 2022, lawmakers pushed to have cannabis added to a special session called by Governor
Mike Parson
Michael Lynn Parson (born September 17, 1955) is an American politician and former law enforcement officer who served as the 57th List of governors of Missouri, governor of Missouri, from 2018 to 2025. A member of the Republican Party (United S ...
, over disagreements with policies outlined in Amendment 3, particularly with licensing. A bill entitled the Marijuana Freedom Act was filed to address these concerns. Despite calling Amendment 3 a "disaster", Governor Parson did not expand the scope of the special session to include cannabis, killing the challenge to Amendment 3.
Results
The amendment was approved by voters on November 8, 2022, by a 53–47% margin. Despite initially saying that recreational sales would begin on February 6, 2023, the
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services unexpectedly announced on February 2 that licenses would be issued to recreational dispensaries the following day.
See also
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Cannabis in Missouri
Cannabis in Missouri is legal for recreational use. A ballot initiative to legalize recreational use, Amendment 3, passed by a 53–47 margin on November 8, 2022. Possession for adults 21 and over became legal on December 8, 2022, with the f ...
*
List of 2022 United States cannabis reform proposals
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List of Missouri ballot measures
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2022 Missouri elections
Missouri state elections were held on November 8, 2022, and the primary election were held on August 2, 2022.
Missouri voters elected their Class 3 United States Senate, US Senator, State Auditor of Missouri, State Auditor, all of the seats f ...
References
External links
*
Missouri Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2022)at
Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...
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2022 ballot measures in the United States