11 Missourians React to Newly Legalized Cannabis and Passing of Amendment 3
A month after Election Day, many Missourians Thursday celebrated their new ability to possess legal cannabis for adult use.
As a sexual violence survivor and a Missouri resident, I was happy to vote for Amendment 3 on November 8, 2022. Changing the Missouri Constitution would legalize adult use statewide, and I was overjoyed when the law passed.
The new marijuana law went into effect today, making changes to Article XIV, Section 1 of the Missouri Constitution (Medical Marijuana Program) and creating Section 2 of Article XIV (Adult Use Program).
🧵 pic.twitter.com/gEg5JfYaIW
— Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (@HealthyLivingMo) December 8, 2022
The aftermath of sexual trauma can be unbearable—even life-threatening—but I know first-hand how much cannabis can help. I am confident that the medicinal properties of the plant helped save my life, and I am optimistic that cannabis will help save the lives of many more Missourian survivors now that access is expanding.
But my story isn’t for everyone. I’m just a Missourian and a curious one at that. I asked 11 Missourians what they thought of passing Amendment 3, and their answers were as unique as they are.
Caleb, 38:
“Amendment 3 gives me options. It’s good for a guy like me to have options. I suffer from PTSD and have covered it with alcohol for years. Alcohol was my best friend for almost two decades. Now that Amendment 3 has passed, I have LEGAL and healthier options to choose from that will not cause depression, destroy my liver, or increase my PTSD symptoms.
Marijuana is helping my recovery from these symptoms. I prefer marijuana to booze every day! It’s about time we legalized it too…My father’s generation has been pushing this for years.”
Elly, 34:
“I am pleased that people with nonviolent marijuana crimes are having a fresh start. I’m glad marijuana will become more readily available to people who need it for its medicinal benefits. And a big plus (for me) is that the state will get more revenue from the taxes collected from sales.”
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Sam, 33:
“I’m quite thrilled that we passed Amendment 3. While I’m not an avid marijuana user, I know plenty of people who are. This will make everyone’s life easier and more enjoyable without the risk of getting caught. Being such a worry person makes me feel a lot more comfortable with this hobby now that it’s legalized!”
Jessica, 37:
“I’m glad Missouri seems to be making progress in one area. Now we Missourians need to focus on restoring autonomy to our women and their bodies.”
grace, 31:
“I work in healthcare. I’m excited to see how passage of Amendment 3 will make cannabis more accessible to patients. For some, the cost and time required for medical approval was prohibitive. This could open doors for people wanting to use cannabis to manage pain – and anything that can reduce opioid use is a win I think!”
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Jeremiah 39:
“I think for me it’s an odd combination of relief and pride that I feel when I think about it. I love living in Missouri, but I know there are many more and better opportunities for me and my family elsewhere, and many of those places are more accepting of things that I am more involved with.
It gives me hope that Missouri’s culture will continue to improve and that my decision to settle here permanently is demonstrably not at the expense of my convictions.”
Cheryl, 62:
“It’s about time!!! Sincerely, the local 70s hippie.”
TJ, 23:
“Overall, I’m glad Amendment 3 passed, especially given the unusual harshness of the previous law. I say this as someone who has never used marijuana. This type of law recognizes the freedoms we should have under a fair legal system. That change, however, isn’t the perfect solution to Missouri’s historical anti-marijuana stance. Missouri legislature restricted this to prevent it from being a go-to law.
It’s also crucial to carefully weigh the health and social pros and cons of all marijuana use. Still, Missouri needed to take a step in the right direction instead of not doing it at all. Passing this amendment opens the door for better legislation in the future.”
Matthew 33:
“I’m excited about the passage of Amendment 3, not only because of the easy access to cannabis, but also because of the extended validity of medical cards at the same cost as before. Automatic deletion of marijuana-related nonviolent crime records is also a big deal. It affects over 100,000 people currently in prison, those who have already served their time and those on probation or probation.
Additionally, I am pleased that my tax money is being used to support veteran care, addiction treatment and Missouri’s public defense system, rather than incarcerating people on cannabis charges.”
Sherry, 55:
“Although I support politically [the] Decriminalizing and Legalizing Marijuana I’m concerned about the impact recreational marijuana could have on the quality, availability, and price of medical marijuana.
However, this change has greatly improved access to medical marijuana for all Missourians by increasing the number of years for a valid medical marijuana license. I am confident that medical marijuana patients will not be affected by these changes.”
Stephanie, 32:
“The passage of Amendment 3 in MO gave me hope. I was charged with possession of marijuana in another state a few years ago. Now that it will be relaxing in MO [it] gives me hope that it will soon be accepted nationwide, and I [can] Perhaps have these charges removed from my file. The funny thing was when I caught the charges; I’ve never had even TOUCHED weed.
After I finished my probationary period, the first thing I did to celebrate was eat edibles. Now I have a few gummy bears every day.”
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