Missouri has awarded 48 cannabis microbusiness licenses to “marginalized or under-represented individuals.”
Each of the state’s eight congressional districts were given two retail licenses and four wholesale facility licenses, according to a news release.
The Division of Cannabis Regulation selected the winners through a lottery involving 1,600-plus applicants.
Applicants denied licenses can request that their applications be reviewed or receive a full refund of their application fees.
Another 48 licenses will be issued through another lottery in 2024 and 2025, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) promised in April.
The microbusiness licenses “are designed to allow marginalized or under-represented individuals to participate in the legal marijuana market,” according to the DHSS.
To qualify, applicants had to meet criteria such as having a valid service-connected disability card issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs or live in a low-income community.
Missouri launched adult-use sales in February but has had a medical marijuana market since October 2019. (Full Story)