Budtender Picks ...
Memory Lane
A Deep-Dive Through the Past Five Years of Missouri ’ s Cannabis Evolution .
by Mitch Alexander , contributing writer
Fresh Green Dispensary in Lee ’ s Summit , MO , had long lines for the KC area ’ s first dispensary to open in October 2020 . COVID protocol was in effect .
As this magazine celebrates its five-year anniversary this month , we look back at the development of the Missouri cannabis industry , its retail products , and how we got to where we are today .
In 2018 , Missourians decided it was time to change the tide and legalize medical marijuana . At the same time , Americans also decided to make a change in the right direction , passing the 2018 Farm Bill , allowing Americans to cultivate hemp for the first time in nearly 80 years . Fast forward six years later , Missouri has a $ 1.5 billion industry , one of the strongest cannabis markets in the entire world . Let ’ s take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the cannabis products that took Missouri by storm . While medical marijuana wasn ’ t readily available to the Missouri public until late 2020 , there were plenty of cannabis options available in 2018 on the hemp and CBD side .
This picture of my Blue Genius houseplant is a real cutting from the first-ever hemp harvest .
18 June 2024
2018 –– The year that will live in infamy . Missouri began the pilot program for the first-ever hemp crop produced in Missouri since 1937 . Blue Genius was the first cultivar harvested in the pilot program . This hemp cultivar provided a nice relaxing feel with the robust flavor you ’ d expect from Missouri farmland . The first Blue Genius pre-rolls made from its harvested flower hit Missouri CBD stores , and the rest became history .
2019 –– With medical marijuana dispensaries still not open to the public , citizens found relief in knowing there was a thriving CBD industry as well as a rapidly growing medical marijuana home cultivation and caregiver program . In the heart of downtown Kansas City , Hemp Haven became a staple for CBD needs . Hemp Haven even had its own piece of the pie , cultivating hemp in Lexington as well as Brookfield . The company soon released its Missouri-grown hemp flower to the public at Hemp Haven storefronts . One cultivar that stood out amongst the rest was its Tsunami flower . This cultivar provided a nice mellow head buzz , with some relaxing body effects .
2020 –– In late 2020 , the first medical marijuana dispensaries opened their doors . While only a few commercial cultivators had flower available , Carrol County Cannabis Company , C4 , became the front-runner . In the early stages of medical , C4 provided the classics , like Blue Dream , GG4 , and White 99 . However , C4 ’ s Bubba Fett , the Indica dominant cultivar featuring parents of Stardawg and Pre-98 Bubba Kush , easily became the go-to for patients seeking pain relief , body buzz , and sleep aid . C4 ’ s Bubba Fett has stood the test of time and markets , remaining one of the top-selling products in Missouri ’ s recreational market .
2021 –– As the medical market became more and more established , more brands and products became available . In just about every legal market , you will find Wana edibles . These vegan edibles pack a punch for patients looking for effect-specific edibles . Available in a variety of dosages , flavors , and effects , during the emergence of our medical market , Wana provided three options : mango Sativa gummies , watermelon hybrid gummies , and blueberry Indica gummies . Partnering with Clovr manufacturing , the Wana brand became one of the first edibles available in Missouri . Wana has cemented itself as an industry leader both in Missouri and across the country , now providing dozens of options in the Missouri medical and adult use market .
2022 –– By 2022 , the medical marijuana program was proving there was a strong market for cannabis in Missouri . With the state patient
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