Missouri Cannabis Cultivators Fined for Using Out-of-State Seeds

The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation has fined at least seven
licensed cannabis cultivators for acquiring new seeds or clones from
illegal or out-of-state sources, the Missouri Independent reports.

Under a policy known as the “immaculate conception rule,” licensed cannabis
growers in Missouri are allowed a one-year grace period during which the
state will effectively look the other way as the licensees establish their
inventory. Afterwards, however, all new cannabis plants must be grown from
the company’s own supply of seeds or mother plants, or come from another
state-licensed grower.

However, officials discovered last year that “some licensees believed they
were permitted to bring in clones or tissue cultures as well as seeds on an
ongoing basis,” which violates the state’s seed-to-sale tracking rules, a
DCR spokesperson said in the report.

“In lieu of penalties or other enforcement action, these violations were
resolved for amounts ranging from $50,000 to $500,000, depending on the
circumstances.” — Lisa Cox, Missouri Department of Health and Senior
Services spokesperson, via the Independent

Meanwhile, a long-shot bid in the Legislature is seeking to repeal the
state’s existing provisions on cannabis and replace them with a new
framework to expand protections, eliminate possession limits, and change
how cannabis is regulated, taxed, and enforced in the state.