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Veterans and Medical Cannabis in Missouri
Follow-up on managing the MMJ tax revenues from sales .
Editorial by Todd Scattini , LTC , U . S . Army ( Ret .) and Chris Wolfenbarger , SGT Retired
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This is a follow-up to our May issue ’ s Memorial Day article that outlined the Missouri Veterans Commission ’ s role in managing the tax revenues from the sales of medical cannabis in the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program .
On May 1 , 2022 , Missouri veterans Todd Scattini , Chris Wolfenbarger , and Jonathan Lewis accompanied Lyndall Fraker , the Executive Director of the Department of Health and Senior Services ( DHSS ) Medical Marijuana Division , and Andrew Mullins , the Executive Director of the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association ( MoCannTrade ), to meet with retired Colonel Paul Kirchhoff , the Executive Director of the Missouri Veterans Commission ( MVC ). COL ( Ret .) Kirchhoff was accompanied by several members of his staff and team . They were incredibly gracious with their time and welcomed us to the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg , MO . to use all state funds . The conversation about the “ ground truth ” of the MVC ’ s fiscal situation was very informative and pointed to budgetary limitations that will likely prevent Missouri from reaching its potential anytime soon . The sincerity and frustration at COL Kirchoff ’ s briefing on the conditions were palpable from every team member . The problem is as simple as it is complex . Every day it becomes more complicated and costly to complete their mission . They have been cut off from access to the Missouri General Fund , expecting marijuana revenues to fill that fiscal gap . In the past , the MVC had received roughly 14 million per year ( 2006 through 2012 ); however , over the past two years , they didn ’ t receive any of that . Over the past year , approximately 7 million has gone to them from the MO MMJ tax program with another , $ 14 million scheduled to be paid in the fall of this year . 1 ( See graph below .)
It was clear from the start of our meeting that COL ( Ret .) Kirchhoff is an exceptional professional and is committed to helping Missouri veterans . We walked away knowing that he is the right leader to carry out MVC ’ s mission . He served 33 years of active duty with the U . S . Army and the Missouri Army National Guard , with combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq in staff and leadership positions from Battalion Operations Officer to Battalion and then Regimental Commander .
We met to introduce members of the Missouri and veterans ’ cannabis eco-system to the MVC hoping to begin a dialogue about veterans and cannabis in Missouri . We shared news of the VA Secretary ’ s desire to “ Normalize the conversation ” around veterans and cannabis . We shared that we believe Missouri could be the ideal platform to host such a conversation . More importantly , we attempted to describe how Missouri could serve as the platform for cannabis research . Missouri ’ s exceptional medical cannabis program ( and industry ), coupled with its academic infrastructure and relationship with the Veterans Administration and the greater veteran community , would be an ideal space to conduct observational research .
Budget issues
COL ( Ret .) Kirchhoff and his team were very clear up front that they were in complete support of the Governor ’ s budget and plans