ST. LOUIS-On November 8, voters will decide if the Missouri constitution should be changed to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.

From the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office on Amendment 3:

"A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to remove state prohibitions on the purchase, possession, consumption, use, delivery, manufacture, and sale of marijuana for personal use for adults over the age of twenty-one.

The amendment would also allow individuals with certain marijuana-related offenses to petition for release from prison or parole and probation and have their records expunged; along with imposing a six percent tax on the retail price of recreational marijuana.

A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution and the sale and use of marijuana for recreational purposes will remain prohibited under current law.  Medical marijuana would remain unchanged."

What You Need To Know

  • Learn more in the Spectrum News Voter Guide

  • Proponents include St. Louis area chapters of the NAACP and U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine

  • Opponents include Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and the state NAACP

  • Passage would mean record expungement in some cases and eligiblity for parole in others

It has the backing of individual branches of NAACP representing the St. Louis region, while the state chapter has urged people to vote against it. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine has endorsed the measure, while the Missouri Democratic Party, which supports the goal of legalization, won't take an official position on the question.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has said he’s opposed to the amendment, citing the level of complication in the ballot language, and concerns that people will mistakenly believe it will legalize individual homegrown marijuana for personal use. 

Boosters says any excess state tax revenue from the sale of marijuana will support veterans’ health care, drug addiction treatment and the state’s public defender system, with a projection of nearly $41 million annually and roughly $14 million in additional local revenues. They say it will also help participants in the state’s medical marijuana program by extending the expiration date of patient and caregiver IDs reducing the fee for growing medical marijuana at home. 

Some of the most vocal opposition to the ballot question comes from groups and people who support marijuana legalization but say Amendment 3 is a flawed vehicle.

The state chapter of the NAACP says “What has been touted as a purported advance to reduce criminal convictions related to marijuana only places that criminal provision in the Missouri constitution. Marijuana possession should not be a constitutional crime.” 

The Legal 22 campaign says the measure would permit the purchase of up to 3 ounces of marijuana at a time. Driving under the influence and public consumption would still be against the law if the measure passes, but public consumption would be reduced to a fine of no more than $100.

Businesses with existing licenses under the state’s medical marijuana program would have the ability to switch to recreational licenses if the question passes. All other licenses would be awarded through a lottery system. 

The Legal 22 campaign says no “single business owner from possessing more than 10 percent of the total operating licenses for dispensaries, cultivation, and infused product manufacturing facilities.”    

The ballot question has split support from the editorial boards of the state’s largest newspapers. The Kansas City Star has endorsed the measure because of the criminal justice reform elements to automatically expunge certain criminal records. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board is urging a “no” vote, arguing that a state statute passed by lawmakers, and not constitutional amendment is the best way to go about a legalization process that will have to be tweaked over time.