Availability of medical marijuana in Missouri expected soon

When they awarded licenses last winter, administrators of Missouri’s medical marijuana program anticipated products being dispensed during the summer.

But only two dispensaries have opened (both in St. Louis), and they don’t yet have products available for patients.

Having medical marijuana on the shelves for patients is imminent, according to Lyndall Fraker, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services section for medical marijuana regulation.

It is about time for harvest at a couple of Missouri medical marijuana cultivation facilities that have met all the state’s requirements to grow the products, he said.

However, all medical marijuana produced in the state must go through a testing process at a testing facility before being made available to patients.

And no testing facilities have opened yet.

Testing facilities check the levels of THC (the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) of all marijuana cultivated in the state. They test manufactured products, such as edibles. And they check for dangerous compounds like toxins and bacteria.

A testing facility in eastern Missouri is close to opening, he said.

“That’s the one big piece of the puzzle. We have one testing facility that’s requested their commencement inspection, but they’re actually still waiting on some equipment,” Fraker said. [Read more at News Tribune]