Millions poured into recreational marijuana ballot measure in Missouri

With Election Day fast approaching, millions of dollars have been spent in support of an effort to legalize recreational marijuana use in Missouri.

Like candidates for Missouri office, entities supporting ballot measures are required to regularly file financial reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC). The latest quarterly reports, which were due this month, showed the largest share of funds being spent in support of the proposal.

Amendment 3 asks Missouri voters if they wish to legalize the use and sale of recreational marijuana for adults over 21 years old. Legal Missouri 2022, the political action committee (PAC) backing the measure, took in $738,500 during the reporting period, according to its October report. Most of the campaign’s intake this period was from existing medical marijuana businesses, which are set to move to the front of the line for recreational approval, including $50,000 from Elevate Missouri LLC and $25,000 from Nirvana Bliss II, a dispensary in Clayton.

The campaign has taken in $5.6 million overall since it launched, but has spent $6.3 million overall and $329,499 for the quarter, according to the report. It ended the reporting period with $259,177 cash on hand.

A PAC called Save Our State, created last month to oppose the legalization effort, has not reported financial information with MEC.

[Read more at Fulton Sun]