With the widespread adoption of medical marijuana across the United States, many laws and regulations have been put in place for those who wish to get a medical marijuana card. These laws were created so that those who use medical marijuana can do so safely and without prejudice, and also so that those in the general public are also safe. For example, someone who uses MMJ for a health condition cannot drive while they are under the influence. This law is designed to protect both the general public as well as the person who needs medical marijuana to help manage their illness.
When it comes to other laws surrounding medical marijuana, you may be confused about various regulations surrounding use at your workplace, random workplace drug tests, or even owning a gun. Most American citizens have a right to own a gun – but can you still consider owning a firearm if you use medical marijuana in Missouri?
Missouri medical marijuana laws
According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, there are over 120,000 registered patients using medical marijuana to treat qualifying conditions. These patients require MMJ to treat symptoms of things such as cancer, epilepsy, chronic pain, debilitating psychiatric disorders, and terminal illnesses, to name a few. The laws surrounding the use of medical marijuana ensure that those who are qualified have access to their medicine at all times.
Some laws that exist to help those with needs for MMJ include the patient possession limit law, which states that a person with a registered card can purchase up to four ounces of marijuana every 30 days. The limit can also be set on possession as long as it isn’t less than a 60-day supply. For those who qualify and wish to cultivate their own marijuana for medical use, they can have up to six plants, which must be grown in a closed and locked area.
Is it easy to get a medical card in Missouri?
Getting a medical card in Missouri isn’t a difficult process, but there are several steps that need to be taken to qualify for a card. An application must be submitted with the correct forms, including a physician’s certification that states that the patient in question has a qualifying condition that applies to the state’s medical marijuana laws on who can obtain a card. There are two versions of this form: the Standard Physician Certification Form and the Alternative Physician Certification form.
The standard form is designed for people who have a recommended dose of four ounces per month, and the alternative form is for those who require more than that amount. For those who need more than four ounces, two Alternative Physician Certification forms need to be filled out by two different doctors, and the qualifying condition must be listed the same on both forms.
Once the forms are completed, the application can be submitted online. Patients will have to register as new patients. The wait for processing of the application can be up to 30 days.
Gun ownership for medical marijuana card holders
Owning a gun in the United States is an Amendment right. In the Missouri Constitution, there is no section or reference to firearms or the prohibited use of purchasing or possessing a gun while you have a medical marijuana card in the state. This, however, does not automatically mean that you can purchase or possess a firearm in the state if you have a medical marijuana card. This is because there are differences in state and federal laws. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the federal law may prohibit guns for those who use marijuana.
This is because marijuana is still illegal under federal law. Since it is illegal, you cannot possess a firearm if you have a medical marijuana card. The laws may be changing, though. In December of 2020, a bill was passed that would decriminalize marijuana at a federal level across the country. That bill needs to go up the chain to be passed at a federal level, though, which may still be a ways off.
Owning a gun in Missouri while in the possession of medical marijuana may be illegal as of now, but the laws are changing when it comes to marijuana legalization at a federal level, so it may be possible in the future.
Featured image by Brittney Butler on Unsplash
