Missouri Amendment 3, Medical Marijuana and Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute Initiative (2018)

Elections in Missouri, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 10
• Early voting: N/A
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No
• Voter ID: Non-photo ID required
• Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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Missouri Amendment 3
Election date November 6, 2018
Topic Marijuana
Status d Defeated
Type Constitutional amendment	Origin Citizens
List of Missouri measuresMissouri Proposition A - AugustMissouri Amendment 1Missouri Amendment 2Missouri Amendment 3Missouri Amendment 4Missouri Proposition BMissouri Proposition CMissouri Proposition DSubmit

Missouri Amendment 3, the Medical Marijuana and Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute Initiative, was on the ballot in Missouri as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 6, 2018. The measure was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported this constitutional amendment to: legalize marijuana for medical purposes; tax marijuana sales at 15 percent; and spend tax revenue on a Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute.

A "no" vote opposed this constitutional amendment to: legalize marijuana for medical purposes; tax marijuana sales at 15 percent; and spend tax revenue on a Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute.

Three marijuana measures on the 2018 ballot

In November 2018, voters had three medical marijuana initiatives on their ballots—Amendment 2, Amendment 3, and Proposition C. Voters were permitted to vote "yes" or "no" on each of the ballot measures.

As Amendment 2 was approved and Amendment 3 and Proposition C were defeated, a conflicting measures scenario did not occur.

If two conflicting constitutional amendments, such as Amendment 2 and Amendment 3, were approved, the one receiving the most affirmative votes prevails. State law did not provide a protocol for when voters approve statutes, such as Proposition C, and amendments, such as Amendment 2 and Amendment 3, that are in conflict. Speaking to a similar issue regarding tobacco tax initiatives in 2016, the attorney general's office said the issue would need to be decided in court.

To learn more about how these three ballot initiatives compares, see the following subsections of the page:

• Statements: Campaigns answered the question, "Why is your ballot measure the best option for medical marijuana legalization?"
• Comparison: Comparison of the ballot initiatives' provisions.

Election results

Missouri Amendment 3
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		754,007	31.50%
No		1,639,622	68.50%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

What would Amendment 3 have changed about marijuana policies in Missouri?

As of 2018, Missouri had not legalized the use or possession or medical marijuana. Amendment 3 would have legalized marijuana for medical purposes. The ballot initiative would have levied a tax on marijuana sales at 15 percent. Revenue from the sales tax would have been used to establish and fund a Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute, which would have been tasked with researching cures for cancer and other diseases and overseeing the state's medical marijuana program. Amendment 3 would have also enacted cultivation taxes on marijuana flowers ($9.25 per ounce) and on marijuana leaves ($2.75 per ounce). The ballot initiative would have allowed state-licensed physicians to recommend marijuana use to patients with 10 qualifying conditions. The research institute would have been empowered to add additional conditions to the list of qualifying conditions. Patients would have been allowed to purchase 3 ounces of dried marijuana or equivalent in 30-day period (more permitted with written certification from two independent physicians). The ballot initiative would have authorized not less than two dispensaries per 20,000 residents in counties and cities.

What was Amendment 3's Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute?

Amendment 3 would have created a Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute (BRDDI), a new government institution. The institute would have been tasked with finding cures for diseases and generate income for the state from cures developed. The BRDDI would have been allowed to create or join public-private collaborative ventures. Cures would have been available to state residents at no costs. The BRDDI would have been governed by a nine-member board, with each board member receiving annual salaries equal to or more than the Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice. An individual, known as the Article XIV Coordinator (a non-compensated position), would have appointed the board members. Amendment 3 would have made the institute's first Article XIV Coordinator the ballot initiative's proponent, Brad Bradshaw. When Bradshaw would have decided to no longer serve as the Article XIV Coordinator, the governor would have appointed a new coordinator, who would have needed legal and medical credentials.

Amendment 3 would have empowered the Article XIV Coordinator and four institute board members to come up with a list of proposed locations for the BRDDI. Voters in the counties where the BRDDI would have been located would vote on whether to approve or reject the state's location through a yes or no vote.

Revenue from the sale of BRDDI-developed cures, goods, and services would have been distributed as follows:

• 50 percent for the institute’s administration and research on diseases;
• 25 percent as income-tax refunds for citizens who paid income taxes the previous year;
• 6.25 percent for repairing state roads and bridges;
• 6.25 percent for funding public pre-school and K-12 education and provide grants to in-state students of state universities;
• 6.25 percent for funding medical care for state residents; and
• 6.25 percent for the public employee retirement trust fund.

What was the legal status of medical marijuana in the U.S. in 2018?

As of October 2018, 31 states and Washington, D.C., had passed laws legalizing or decriminalizing medical marijuana. An additional 16 states, including Missouri, had legalized the medical use of cannabidiol (CBD), also known as cannabis oil—one of the non-psychoactive ingredients found in marijuana. Both medical and recreational marijuana are illegal under federal law. However, the U.S. Congress had included an amendment, known as the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment, in each omnibus spending bill since 2014. The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment prohibited federal agents from raiding medical marijuana growers in states where medical marijuana is legal. In 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) asked Congress to not renew the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment for the upcoming fiscal year. Congress, however, approved the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018. Voters in Utah also decided a medical marijuana initiative in November 2018.

Who was behind the campaigns surrounding the ballot initiative?

Find the Cures (FTC), a political action committee, led the campaign in support of Amendment 3. FTC raised $2.18 million, with physician Brad Bradshaw providing 97 percent of the committee's funds. Bradshaw wrote the language of Amendment 3. Citizens For SAFE Medicine organized to oppose Amendment 3, along with Amendment 2 and Proposition C, but had not reported any contributions or expenditures. Patients Against Bradshaw Amendment organized to oppose Amendment 3. New Approach Missouri (NAM), which led the campaign in support of Amendment 2, also registered to spend funds against Amendment 3. Together, the committees raised $1.72 million.

Looking for more information about marijuana on the ballot in 2018? Explore other Ballotpedia articles on the subject below. Marijuana laws in the U.S. Drug Policy Alliance • Marijuana Policy Project • NORML • SAM Action Recreational marijuana on the ballot: Michigan Proposal 1 • North Dakota Measure 3 Medical marijuana on the ballot: Missouri Amendment 2 • Missouri Amendment 3 • Missouri Proposition C • Oklahoma State Question 788 • Utah Proposition 2

Comparison of three ballot measures

Statements from the campaigns

Ballotpedia asked the campaigns behind Amendment 2, Amendment 3, and Proposition C the following question: "There are three medical marijuana initiatives on the ballot in November. Why do you think that your ballot measure is the best option for medical marijuana legalization on the ballot in 2018?" Ballotpedia received the following responses from each campaign.

Click on the arrows (▼) below for statements from the campaigns behind the medical marijuana ballot initiatives in Missouri.

Missouri Amendment 2: New Approach Missouri is leading the campaign in support of Amendment 2.

“

Amendment 2 provides for a safe, responsible and veteran-centered way forward to make Missouri the 31st state to allow medical marijuana. It puts healthcare decisions back into the hands of doctors and their patients, and, of the three ballot options, is the only one backed by a true coalition of patients, veterans and doctors. As a constitutional amendment, it becomes a permanent part of Missouri law, providing certainty to Missouri patients. Amendment 2 is a stark contrast to Amendment 3, the other medical marijuana constitutional amendment on the ballot. Amendment 3 is funded and supported by a coalition of one, a wealthy backer and the petition’s author, personal-injury attorney, Brad Bradshaw. Brad Bradshaw unsuccessfully sued the other two initiatives to try and get them thrown off the ballot. Amendment 2 requires the Missouri Department of Health to act swiftly and enable implementation by drafting rules and regulations to administer the law. Under Amendment 3 Brad Bradshaw writes himself into the Missouri Constitution as the chairman of a new quasi-state agency and research institute and grants him the authority to appoint its board members. This institute would not only direct how taxpayer money is spent but also write and implement the rules and regulations on licensing and dispensing. No other state has adopted this type of new, unaccountable bureaucracy as their regulatory framework. Amendment 2 levies a reasonable tax rate of 4% on medical marijuana sales and the revenue generated funds veterans’ services in the state. This funding mechanism is supported by patients, veterans and the healthcare community. Amendment 3 has an exploitive 15% sales tax, the highest medical marijuana tax in the nation, directed to the new research institute. It’s simply wrong to put a tax that high on medicine at the expense of patients with cancer and other debilitating illnesses. New Approach Missouri is a coalition of medical professionals, patients, former public safety officials, and advocates working to pass Amendment 2 because we believe it is the best way forward to legalize medical marijuana for patients with serious and debilitating illnesses.

”

Missouri Amendment 3: Find The Cures is leading the campaign in support of Amendment 3.

“

Access for Legitimate Patients Long list of qualifying conditions, which may be expanded by the Research Board when reliable scientific data shows additional conditions will benefit from MMJ treatment. MMJ is a medicine. As a real medicine, Amendment 3 requires MMJ to be sold in dispensaries with pharmacist consultations available. Amendment 3 is for Missourians Only For an individual to grow or sell MMJ they must be a Missouri resident. Entities must by 70% or more owned by Missouri residents. Everyone in MO can participate. With over three times the licenses of the other proposals combined, Amendment 3 has far and away the most licenses to cultivate. 3 also encourages co-ops for farmers, and LLCs-joint ventures for businesses. Monopolies are prohibited. No person or entity can own more than 1% of the licenses to cultivate. Everyone gets a chance to be involved. World Class Cancer Research Center $66 million annually for Cancer and Disease Research. Each direct dollar will generate up to 4 additional matching dollars annually, bringing the annual total to upwards of $330 million to cure cancer and other diseases. Missouri will become a world leader in medical research. An estimated 10,000+ new high paying jobs will be created. State ballot language, and Tripp Umbach economic impact analysis. Research Center Location, Satellite Centers After the board recommends five optimum locations, Missouri voters will decide where the main research center will be located. Missouri Universities will have affiliated satellite research centers. Economic Impact for Missouri – Proven Track Record Mayo Clinic generates over $9.6 billion annually for Minnesota, that’s more than all MN hotel and lodging, motor vehicle manufacturing and professional sports combined. Scripps Research in Florida, 9 years old, is estimated to soon reach $1.5 billion annually. Scripps had almost 3/4 of a billon in reserves last year, and recently Scripps was awarded over 600 Million additional dollars by the NIH. Income Tax Refund Income tax refund check to you annually! 50% of the money generated from the research institute must be given back to Missouri residents in the form of an annual income tax refund. Law Enforcement Amendment 3 provides almost $2 million in annual funding for local law enforcement. Amendment 3 also requires MMJ to be cultivated in locked secure and safe environments, and only with a proper license to cultivate. Missouri Schools and Education Cancer and disease research will generate millions of dollars annually for Missouri’s schools and Missouri students, plus additional millions of dollars specifically set aside for Missouri Universities. Problems with Amendment 2 Amendment 2 allows home grow, up to 24 plants per household, selling it in neighborhoods. Polling confirms Missouri does not want home grow, and it is a loser on the ballot. Amendment 2 allows violent convicted felons to grow transport and sell marijuana in Missouri. Need more be said. Amendment 2 is recreational. 2 allows MMJ to be sold for any medical condition. It also allows “doc in the boxes” where a doctor can sit in a room all day write recommendations for marijuana. 2 is silent on limits.

”

Missouri Proposition C: Missourians for Patient Care is leading the campaign in support of Proposition C.

“

Missourians for Patient Care (MPC) was formed in 2017 by a group of passionate Missouri leaders with a mission to bring medical cannabis to Missouri patients in November 2018. Operated in the shortest time frame, MPC collected signatures from voters in January 2018 and submitted the constitutionally-required number of signatures to the Secretary of State on May 6, 2018. Proposition C has taken best practices from other effective ballot measures across the country and applied them to this statutory initiative. The sole purpose for Proposition C is to allow Missouri patients quick and efficient access to cannabis by physician certification only. Missouri patients must have a certain qualifying medical condition to access medical cannabis under Proposition C. The newly-created industry in Missouri would be regulated by a state agency that has an 80-year history regulating liquor business: The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco. The Department of Health and Senior Services would also be tasked with confidentially overseeing application and distribution of patient and caregiver identification cards. Proposition C imposes the lowest tax rate of all three initiatives at 2%. This low retail tax rate lowers the burden of cost on patients accessing medical cannabis. It is the only measure that funds all drug treatment facilities in the state, regardless of drug addiction. Funds would also support veterans’ services, public safety, and early childhood education and development. Proposition C is the only measure that requires local community approval prior to any licensing. The governing body of the municipality must adopt an ordinance, or the governing body of the county must adopt a resolution containing specific standards for license issuance. This requirement provides local control for communities to have a say in how medical cannabis can be accessed by their constituencies. Unlike Amendment 3, Proposition C is not looking to threaten private property owners by abusing eminent domain laws or egregiously tax patients at 15% to create a fabricated ‘research institute’ paying them six-figure salaries to hope and find cures for terminal illnesses. Patients with chronic pain deserve serious and effective treatments. Prop C and its supporters stand ready to help deliver medical cannabis treatment options for patients in Missouri as an alternative to heavily-prescribed opioids.

”

Comparison of 2018 ballot initiatives

The following table compares the different provisions of the medical marijuana ballot measures and additional information:

Issue	Amendment 2	Amendment 3	Proposition C
Sponsor	New Approach Missouri	Find the Cures	Missourians for Patient Care
Type of law	Constitutional	Constitutional	Statute
Amending or repealing by legislature	legislature needs to pass changes by simple majority and refer to the ballot for a public vote	legislature needs to pass changes by simple majority and refer to the ballot for a public vote	legislature needs to pass changes by simple majority and changes need governor's signature
Comparison of patients and patient use provisions
Number of qualifying conditions	9 plus others with doctor's approval	10 plus others designed by the research board	9 plus others with doctor's approval
Purchase amount	department to set a limit of not less than 4 ounces of dried marijuana or equivalent in 30-day period (more permitted with written certification from two independent physicians)	department to set limit of not less than 3 ounces of dried marijuana or equivalent in 30-day period (more permitted with written certification from two independent physicians)	2.5 ounces of cannabis flower or equivalent in 14-day period (more permitted with written certification from a physician)
Possession amount	department to set a limit of not less than a 60-day supply of dried marijuana or equivalent (more permitted with written certification from two independent physicians)	not specified in the amendment's text	no more than a 60-day supply of cannabis flower or equivalent
Home grow	6 flowering plants	not specified in the amendment's text	home cultivation prohibited
Comparison of sales taxes and tax revenue
Sales tax	4 percent	15 percent	2 percent
Tax revenue distribution	healthcare services, job training, housing assistance, and other services for veterans	Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute tasked with developing cures for cancer and other diseases	veterans' services, drug treatment, education, and law enforcement
Estimated annual government revenue	$24 million	$66 million	$10 million
Estimated annual government costs	$7 million	$500,000	$10 million
Provisions regarding regulation of marijuana
Regulatory agency	Tasks the existing Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services	Creates a new Board of Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute	Tasks the existing Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control
Local prohibitions	local bans not allowed, but local governments can regulate the location of facilities and dispensaries and the time and manner of their operation	local governments can prohibit facilities and dispensaries through a simple majority vote of voters	local governments can prohibit facilities and dispensaries through a two-thirds vote of voters
Number of dispensaries	not less than 24 in each congressional district, based on 2018 boundaries	not less than 2 per 20,000 residents in counties and cities	not less than 1 per 100,000 state residents (plus extras based on demographics and demand to ensure access)

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title was as follows:

“

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to: allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and create regulations and licensing procedures for marijuana and marijuana facilities; impose a 15 percent tax on the retail sale of marijuana, and a tax on the wholesale sale of marijuana flowers and leaves per dry-weight ounce to licensed facilities; and use funds from these taxes to establish and fund a state research institute to conduct research with the purpose of developing cures and treatments for cancer and other incurable diseases or medical conditions? This proposal is estimated to generate annual taxes and fees of $66 million. State governmental entities estimate initial implementation costs of $186,000 and increased annual operating costs of $500,000.

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary was as follows:

“

A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes under state laws. This amendment does not change federal law, which makes marijuana possession, sale and cultivation a federal offense. This amendment makes Brad Bradshaw (the contact person on this initiative petition) the research chairperson of a newly created research institute that is funded by fees and taxes on medical marijuana. Brad Bradshaw will select the members of the board that will govern the research institute, which will issue regulations and licensing procedures for medical marijuana and medical marijuana facilities — dispensary, cultivation, and marijuana-infused product manufacturing facilities. This amendment creates licensing fees for such facilities. The amendment imposes a 15 percent tax on the retail sale of marijuana for medical purposes by dispensary facilities and a tax on the wholesale sale of marijuana flowers and leaves by cultivation facilities. The funds generated by the license fees and taxes will be used by the research institute for licensing and regulating marijuana and marijuana facilities, land acquisition and development, and conducting research with the purpose of developing cures and treatments for cancer and other incurable diseases. A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution as to the use of marijuana. If passed, this measure will impose an 15 percent retail sales tax on marijuana for medical uses and a wholesale sales tax on marijuana sold by medical marijuana cultivation facilities.

”

Constitutional changes

See also: Missouri Constitution

The measure would have added an Article XIV to the Missouri Constitution.

Full text

The full text of the initiative is available here.

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2018

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The secretary of state wrote the ballot language for this measure. The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 15, and the FRE is 23. The word count for the ballot title is 115, and the estimated reading time is 30 seconds. The FKGL for the ballot summary is grade level 18, and the FRE is 11. The word count for the ballot summary is 235, and the estimated reading time is 62 seconds. In 2018, for the 167 statewide measures on the ballot, the average ballot title or question was written at a level appropriate for those with between 19 and 20 years of U.S. formal education (graduate school-level of education), according to the FKGL formula. Read Ballotpedia's entire 2018 ballot language readability report here.

Support

Find The Cures led the campaign in support of Amendment 3. Brad Bradshaw, a physician, wrote the language of Amendment 3. Find the Cures described Amendment 3 as "a Missouri Constitutional Amendment to legalize medical marijuana and use taxes generated from its sale to fund medical research for cancer and other incurable diseases, and the profits from the research to effectively eliminate state income tax, provide positive economic growth, support education and more."

Arguments

• Brad Bradshaw, a physician who wrote Amendment 3, said, "Imagine going back to when alcohol was legalized, and these people are making a fortune. Putting a tax on this to find a cure for cancer — and we can find a cure for cancer — I think that is not unreasonable." He also said, "Amendment 3 provides for a world-class research center in the state of Missouri, provides safe medical marijuana with no home grow and provides a tax cut for citizens."
• Marcus Leach, a spokesperson for Find the Cures, stated, "Our belief is that the state should protect its medical marijuana industry. This should be Missouri small businesses, farmers and retail shops, not out-of-state products and investors swallowing up the market."

Opposition

Opponents

• Missouri Catholic Conference
• Missouri State Medical Association
• Kansas City Medical Society
• Kansas City Academy of Family Physicians
• Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons
• Missouri Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons
• Missouri Psychiatric Physicians Association
• Missouri College of Emergency and Physicians
• Missouri Pharmacy Association
• St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society
• Greene County Medical Society

Arguments

• New Approach Missouri, which campaigned for Amendment 2, said, "Unlike our grassroots campaign, Amendment 3 is funded by a single wealthy backer, Springfield personal injury lawyer Brad Bradshaw. He’s spending millions to pass Amendment 3, which would put a 15% tax on medical marijuana — twice as high as any other medical marijuana tax rate nationwide. It would also place Bradshaw himself in charge of marijuana licensing and allow him to direct the taxpayer dollars -- paid by patients -- to a research board that he would appoint."
• The Missouri State Medical Association said, "The Missouri State Medical Association opposes the three “medical” marijuana ballot questions that will be offered to Missouri voters in November. MSMA acknowledges there are a limited number of patients who may receive limited relief from minor pain and nausea, but numerous studies have identified negative health effects for a large number of diagnoses. Until the DEA reclassifies marijuana to allow extensive scientific research, MSMA remains concerned Missourians will be gambling with their health using an unregulated drug."

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Missouri ballot measures

There was one campaign committee, Find The Cures, registered in support of the ballot initiative. The committee raised $2.18 million and spent $2.15 million. The top contributor to Find The Cures was Brad Bradshaw, who provided 97 percent of the committee's funds.

The committees Citizens For SAFE Medicine and Patients Against Bradshaw Amendment registered in opposition to Amendment 3. New Approach Missouri, which led the campaign in support of Amendment 2, also registered in opposition to Amendment 3. Togehter, the committees raised $1.72 million.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$2,176,366.00	$4,000.00	$2,180,366.00	$2,148,392.49	$2,152,392.49
Oppose	$1,584,917.72	$209,130.64	$1,794,048.36	$1,507,863.32	$1,716,993.96
Total	$3,761,283.72	$213,130.64	$3,974,414.36	$3,656,255.81	$3,869,386.45

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in support of the measure.

Committees in support of Amendment 3
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Find the Cures	$2,176,366.00	$4,000.00	$2,180,366.00	$2,148,392.49	$2,152,392.49
Total	$2,176,366.00	$4,000.00	$2,180,366.00	$2,148,392.49	$2,152,392.49

Donors

The following were the top donors to the committee.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Brad Bradshaw	$2,120,941.00	$4,000.00	$2,124,941.00
Hosmer & Wise, P.C.	$15,000.00	$0.00	$15,000.00
The Law Office of Eric M. Belk, P.C.	$15,000.00	$0.00	$15,000.00
The Nail Law Firm	$15,000.00	$0.00	$15,000.00
Sally Larson	$5,005.00	$0.00	$5,005.00
Strong Garner Bauer P.C.	$5,005.00	$0.00	$5,005.00

Opposition

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in opposition to the initiative.

Committees in opposition to Amendment 3
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
New Approach Missouri	$1,569,794.04	$207,528.14	$1,777,322.18	$1,488,633.30	$1,696,161.44
Citizens For SAFE Medicine	$9,700.00	$0.00	$9,700.00	$13,896.34	$13,896.34
Patients Against Bradshaw Amendment Formally Known As Find The Cures Political Action Committee	$2,711.84	$801.25	$3,513.09	$2,666.84	$3,468.09
Total	$1,584,917.72	$209,130.64	$1,794,048.36	$1,507,863.32	$1,716,993.96

Donors

The following were the top donors to the committee.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Drug Policy Action	$258,000.00	$0.00	$258,000.00
New Approach PAC	$0.00	$188,470.00	$188,470.00
Belleau Farms/Adulphus Busch IV	$125,000.00	$0.00	$125,000.00
Seven Points LLC	$125,000.00	$0.00	$125,000.00
Larry Malaschock	$110,000.00	$0.00	$110,000.00

Methodology

To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.

Media editorials

Support

Ballotpedia did not find any media editorial boards supporting Amendment 3. If you are aware of an editorial, please email it to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Opposition

• Joplin Globe: "Having three measures on the ballot at the same time is confusing, but for a number of reasons, Amendment 2 clearly stands out as the best option for our state. ... Voters in Missouri who support legalizing medical marijuana should vote yes on Amendment 2, no on Amendment 3 and no on Proposition C."

Background

State medical marijuana policies

As of September 2018, 31 states and Washington, D.C., had passed laws legalizing or decriminalizing medical marijuana. An additional 16 states, including Missouri, had legalized the medical use of cannabidiol (CBD), also known as cannabis oil—one of the non-psychoactive ingredients found in marijuana. The following map illustrates the legal status of medical marijuana in the states:

Federal medical marijuana policies

In 2014, the U.S. Congress passed a law, known as the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment, that prohibited federal agents from raiding medical marijuana growers in states where medical marijuana is legal. The Rohrabacher–Farr amendment was a provision of an omnibus spending bill, and thus needed to be renewed each fiscal year to remain in effect. As of 2018, Congress had continued to pass the amendment in each annual spending bill.

On May 1, 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) asked Congress to not renew the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment for the upcoming fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2017. Congress, however, approved the Rohrabacher–Farr amendment for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Missouri

Process

In Missouri, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated constitutional amendment for the ballot is equal to 8 percent of the votes cast for governor in the previous gubernatorial election in six of the eight state congressional districts. Signatures must be filed with the secretary of state six months prior to the election.

The requirements to get an initiated constitutional amendment certified for the 2018 ballot:

• Signatures: The smallest possible requirement was 160,199 valid signatures. The actual requirement depends on the congressional districts in which signatures were collected.
• Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures was May 6, 2018.

Once the signatures have been filed with the secretary of state, the secretary copies the petition sheets and transmits them to county election authorities for verification. The secretary of state may choose whether the signatures are to be verified by a 5 percent random sample or full verification. If the random sampling projects between 90 percent and 110 percent of required signatures, a full check of all signatures is required. If more than 110 percent, the initiative is certified, and, if less than 90 percent, the initiative fails.

Initiative 2018-41

Bradley Bradshaw proposed the initiative. The initiative was certified for circulation on January 5, 2017. In late October 2017, Bradsahw said that petitioners for the initiative had collected 142,000 signatures.

On May 4, 2018, the committee Find the Cures reported filing around 300,000 signatures for the ballot initiative. Marcus Leach, a spokesperson for Find the Cures, said the committee had paid for two audits of signatures before filing them. On August 2, 2018, Ashcroft announced that the ballot initiative qualified to appear on the ballot.

Cost of signature collection:
Sponsors of the measure hired National Ballot Access to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $1,266,514.04 was spent to collect the 160,199 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $7.91.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Missouri

Poll times

In Missouri, all polling places are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Missouri, one must be 18 years old, a United States citizen, and Missouri resident. An applicant may print an application, pick one up from a county clerk's office, or request that an application be mailed. The completed application must be returned by mail. All returned applications must be postmarked at least 27 days prior to Election Day in order to be processed. An applicant may also register to vote online.

Automatic registration

Missouri does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Missouri has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Missouri does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Missouri, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify the length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible. Voters may file change-of-address forms after the registration deadline, up to and including Election Day, provided that they can present photo identification upon doing so.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Missouri does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Missouri Secretary of State's office allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Missouri requires voters to present photo identification while voting.

The following were accepted forms of identification as of April 2023. Click here for the Missouri Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

Voters can present the following forms of information:

• A nonexpired Missouri driver or non-driver license;
• A nonexpired military ID, including a veteran’s ID card;
• A nonexpired United States passport; or
• Another photo ID issued by the United States or the state of Missouri which is either not expired or expired after the date of the most recent general election.

If a voter does not have an ID, he or she can obtain one for free by filling out this form.

See also

2018 measures

• 2018 ballot measures
• Marijuana on the ballot
• Federal policy on marijuana, 2017-2018

Missouri

• Missouri ballot measures
• Missouri ballot measure laws
• History of marijuana ballot measures and laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls
• History of marijuana ballot measures and laws

External links

Information

• Petition 2018-041

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