During the Ray County Coalition meeting on Oct. 5, two community prevention specialists for the Ray County Coalition, Deborah Neel and Emily Barnes, were on hand to introduce the program director from Smithville Community In Action, Jennifer Rhoads.

Rhoads talked about Missouri Amendment 3, presenting information about the initiative, showing how the amendment will look on the ballot.

“This amendment actually refers to a 38-page constitutional amendment, which is a particularly lengthy constitutional amendment. If you think about it, the United States Constitution, with all of its amendments, is not 38 pages long,” Rhoads said.

She gave a presentation during the meeting that had the pertinent information contained in the amendment.

• Removing state prohibitions on purchasing, possessing, consuming, using, delivering, manufacturing and selling marijuana for personal use for adults over the age of 21.

• Requiring a registration card for personal cultivation with prescribed limits.

• Allowing people with certain marijuana-related non-violent offenses to petition for release from incarceration or parole and probation and have records expunged.

• Establishing a lottery selection process to award licenses and certificates.

• Issuing equally distributed licenses to each congressional district.

• Imposing a 6% tax on the retail price of marijuana to benefit various programs.

The presentation also had information about state governmental entities estimating initial costs of $3.1 million, initial revenues of at least $7.9 million, annual costs of $5.5 million and annual costs of at least $40.8 million. Local governments are estimated to have annual costs of at least $35,000 and annual revenues of at least $13.8 million.

Rhoads went into detail about the importance of Secretary of State of Missouri, Jay Ashcroft’s quote he released specifically about the initiative.

“I encourage Missourians to study and educate themselves on any ballot initiative. Initiative 2022-059 that voters will see on the November ballot is particularly lengthy and should be given careful consideration,” Ashcroft said about the initiative.

Rhoads found this interesting, she said, because normally the specific initiative is not detailed like it was. She said it might be a sign to dig into the 38 pages of the Missouri Amendment 3.

During her presentation, she went into how it will affect the marijuana industry. She said it does the following: • Adds an “unduly burdensome” definition.

• Reduces fingerprint requirement for owners.

• Establishes Missouri income tax deductions for licenses.

• Makes font requirements for “marijuana-infused product” labeling less defined.

• Allows current licenses to automatically become comprehensive facilities.

• Establishes up to 144 new microbusinesses.

Rhoads then discussed the effects on the consumers: Allows Missourians ages 21 and older to cultivate with an annual $100 license.

• Allows possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana.

• Allows gifting of up to 3 ounces of marijuana.

• Protections against search and seizure will be based on smell alone.

• Protection against driving violations will be based on the presence of THC.

The health care industry will be affected by adding more nurse practitioners, giving protection to prescribers and doubling the maximum number of people for a caregiver, she said.

According to the presentation, it’ll affect the government by doing the following:

• Reducing revenue from license fees.

• Setting up a 6% tax that would be split three ways.

• Not designating a department within the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to regulate retail sales

• Giving the DHSS authority to establish data collecting and reporting requirement.

• Giving DHSS authority to establish mandatory training for all sellers (on or off premises) that includes prevention and public health components Rhoads spoke about the effects on the community, such as costs of at least $35,000, allowing local communities to add a 3% tax on retail marijuana, narrowly worded opt-out language, adding definitions for church and adding a definition for daycare.

Law enforcement would be affected by how search warrants could be executed and reporting requirements. Ray County Sheriff Scott Childers said that they would have to adapt to those changes, if this initiative were to pass. Testing for THC levels would be different, too.

“There is a thing called lack of convergence, when you smoke marijuana or take THC, you cannot cross your eyes. So if you circle their head twice and go an inch from their nose, their eyes won’t cross. They’ll shoot back out and you will know they’re impaired,” Childers said about field testing on THC.

Rhoads mentioned that employers would be able to enforce workplace regulations on working under the influence of marijuana or THC. She also explained that landlords would not be able to limit possession and consumption, other than smoking.

Rhoads switched gears and spoke about youth in the community and how it could affect them. She stated that increased availability could increase the usage. In the initiative it does establish a minimum age for retail sales or employees. But it does not mandate responsibility for budtender (someone who serves customers at an establishment where cannabis products are sold) training, does not require compliance checks for sales, does not require signs at point of sale or doors and does not establish age restrictions for advertising audiences. The group during the meeting discussed how children’s and teens’ minds are still developing and offering access to education about the harms of the growing, developing mind on THC is crucial for the youth.