Cannabis taxes in Missouri have generated more than $19 million to support military veterans, expand the state’s substance use treatment programs, and bolster the Public Defenders System, according to a report by the Missouri Independent. Last fall, each program received $1.3 million, and another $5.1 million each earlier this month.
Amy Moore, director of the Division of Cannabis Regulation, expressed her satisfaction with the program’s impact, telling the Independent, “It is so rewarding to see the impact of this voter-approved program on organizations that provide vital services to Missourians.”
The Missouri Veterans Commission uses the funds to pay for health care and other services for military veterans and their dependent families. The funds sent to the public defenders system help cover legal fees for low-income residents. The drug treatment programs, operated by the Department of Health and Human Services, assist individuals with job placement, housing, and counseling.
In March, Missouri set a new cannabis sales record, totaling $125 million. In January, Moore indicated that adult-use cannabis sales had generated $58 million in state revenues from taxes and annual fees. So far, $8.2 million has been used to cover the state’s operating costs. Additionally, cannabis-derived funds are used to pay for costs incurred by the court system for expunging former cannabis-related crimes that are now legal under state law.
