Medical Marijuana Means $39M for Missouri Veterans Commission

The tax on your weed is not going to waste

Oct 31, 2023 at 11:45 am

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Lindsey Fox/FLICKR

Funds from the state's medical and recreational cannabis program are benefiting the Missouri Veteran's Commission.

For Missouri veterans, the state's marijuana programs are looking a lot like green gold.

As of today, the Department of Health and Senior Services has transferred more than $29 million from Missouri's medical marijuana program to the Missouri Veterans Commission since the program's inception in 2018. Today alone, DHSS moved $13 million such funds from the medical program.

"These funds will help MVC continue to support the existing infrastructure of our seven Veterans Homes," said Executive Director Paul Kirchhoff in a statement.

In addition, DHSS transferred $3.8 million in funds from the recreational cannabis program to three recipient agencies — the veterans' commission for health care services, Missouri's State Public Defender for low-income legal assistance and a DHSS-run drug addiction treatment program.

The funds come from the voter-adopted Constitutional Amendment 2, which established the medical program, and Constitutional Amendment 3, which legalized adult use.

All the fees and taxes from the medical program, minus expenses, are being issued to the veteran's commission. On the recreational side, fees and the 6 percent tax, less expenses, are split among the three aforementioned programs.