6 January 2022
From The Editor
Bill Cromwell , Publisher , Editor-in-Chief
What a Difference a Year Makes !
Wishing a very Happy New Year to all our dedicated readers as we enter the third year of legalized medical cannabis in Missouri . It ’ s been a whirlwind two years , and incredible progress was made despite the ongoing challenges of working in a pandemic environment . Resilience and persistence win every time .
Consider this , in January of 2021 , the DHSS reported that 73,929 patients had been approved for Missouri medical cannabis cards . That number far exceeded original predictions for patient numbers . As of mid-December , only 11 months later , patient numbers grew to over 160,000 , and by the time this issue hits the streets , there will be more . According to the doctors we surveyed , there remains a continuous stream of patients seeking medical cards .
A mere 25 dispensaries had been approved for operation in January of 2021 , and of those , 18 were actually open for business . As of this writing , 11 months later , 180 of the 192 licensed medical dispensaries are open for business , plus there are currently 6,040 state-approved agents ( employees ) to work at licensed facilities .
A short 12 months ago , patients could shop at a few dispensaries , but medicine on the shelves was a bit scarce — flower , a few edibles , high prices , short supplies . Over the past 11 months , 57 manufactures have opened and now producing a wide variety of products , from flower to edibles to concentrates to vapes to FECO , with the help of 40-plus cultivation facilities providing rigorously tested , high-quality flower to make such products . Additionally , dispensary promotions are also helping patients with lower pricing .
It ’ s been widely reported that Missouri has moved through the licensing process for approving and opening businesses faster than any other state . It hasn ’ t been without challenges . There will likely be more hurdles ; however , 12 months has ushered massive progress towards providing patients with the alternative medicines they fought so long to consume legally .
We again salute all the Missouri cannabis industry businesses that have worked tirelessly to open and provide top-shelf cannabis as an alternative medicine for patients seeking it . 2022 promises to be another exciting year for those within the industry and patient access to legally enter a dispensary with the right to shop an ever-growing offering of various products .
Lastly , if you have yet to visit a dispensary , you will be quite amazed . These are not your proverbial “ Pot Shop ;” but instead hi-tech facilities that include everything from magnificent interior design , fantastic display cases , tablet and electronic menu boards , state-of-the-art security , and streamlined checkout procedures . What you don ’ t see are the behindthe-scenes hi-tech and state-of-the-art cultivation , manufacturing , and testing labs that make it possible to fill those dispensary shelves with product / medicine . These businesses have spent millions to build and operate their businesses , ultimately providing you with the best possible medicine found anywhere in the country . Now , take cannabis off the Federal Schedule 1 Drugs list and the controlled substance list . It is medicine !
Happy New Year to all !
Missouri ’ s First Educational Medical Cannabis Magazine Published Monthly by Native Kansas City , MO , Advocates , Publishers and Writers . A True Missouri Born Grassroots Effort to Educate and Inform Patients , and to Provide Businesses within The Missouri Cannabis Industry an Economical Forum to Tell Their Story . We hope you join and enjoy “ The Evolution .”
PUBLISHER , EDITOR-IN-CHIEF : Bill Cromwell News , Articles and Advertisement Requests should email to :
Bill . C @ TheEvolutionMag . com Corporate Office : 816.878.4509 Kansas City , MO
Mail to : P . O . Box 2196 , Independence , MO 64055 MANAGING EDITOR , VP OF OPERATIONS : Victoria Cromwell DIRECTOR MARKETING and EDITORIAL DEVELOPMENT : Clayton Stallings CREATIVE DESIGNER , GRAPHIC ARTS : Bill Cromwell PHOTOGRAPHY : Chris Smith and Clayton Stallings and Guests
Our Team of Expert Writers and Cannabis Industry Leaders
● Danielle Buntyon ― Elevated Learning
● Karla Deel — Cannabis Culture and History , Product Profiles
● Dana Howard — Cooking with CBD and THC
● Dolores Halbin , RN — Patient Advocate and Awareness
● April Hatch , RN ― Patient Education Columnist
● Sean Keast ― Product Profiles and Dispensary News
● Peter Kershaw — Health and Safety Columnist
● Leah Maurer — Health , Awareness , Ask Leah Columnist
● Jason Mispagel , — Home Growers Education Columnist
● Andrew Park , ACRP-CP — Cannabiz News
● Dr . Michael J . Poppa , D . O ., M . B . A . ― Medical Health News
● Monthly Guest Writers — Cannabis News & Patient Advocates
The EVOLUTION
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