6 June 2024
From
Bill Cromwell , Publisher
TheEditor
, Editor-in-Chief
5th Anniversary Edition
The first issue of The EVOLUTION Magazine hit the streets in June 2019 . As we celebrate our fifth anniversary with this issue , we reflect on the past five years of many changes within Missouri ’ s newest industry . Some are great , some are questionable , but change is inevitable for every industry .
In the early days of the emergence of Missouri ’ s newest industry , I remember attending planning meetings in 2019 when prospective cannabis business entrepreneurs were learning everything from how to apply for a license to how to operate a cannabis business , meeting potential suppliers , building contractors , insurance companies , security businesses , to rules , regulations , state laws , you name it . Few wannabe business owners had ever been involved with the cannabis industry . A new association named MoCannTrade was born . It ’ s an association of business owners and professionals proactively working together to build a successful , safe , and compliant medical and adult-use cannabis industry . MoCannTrade held its first “ Meet Ups ” in St . Louis , Columbia , Kansas City , and Springfield in January 2019 . Meet Ups continue quarterly to this day . Cannabis business entrepreneurs networked and learned , and those who ultimately received a state license for a cannabis-related business went on to open for business in late 2020 . I remember in 2020 and early 2021 , when basically , only flower and a few edibles were available for sale .
Meanwhile , for over a year before a single bud was sold , this magazine brought the news each month of industry developments leading up to the first dispensary opening . Some of those early days photos of the people who helped the industry open are featured on pages 14 , 38 , and 46 , with others sprinkled throughout the articles within . Like always , the years seemed to have passed quickly . The industry has flourished . Today , cumulative medical and adult use sales combined as of 4 / 24 / 2024 reached $ 2.29 billion ( Oct 2020 through March 2024 ).
What has changed is that the total active medical patient certifications , as of 6 / 30 / 2023 there were 163,787 . However , after adult use passed and the first adult-use sale happened on 2 / 3 / 2023 , patient certifications began to drop steadily . As of 4 / 24 / 2024 , the total active patient certifications declined to 110,537 . Likewise , “ medical ” cannabis sales dropped . For March 2024 , medical cannabis sales were $ 16.0 million versus adult use sales of $ 108.7 million . Business looks strong for adult use and is projected to grow stronger .
That ’ s good news for adult use sales , but not so good for our list of doctors on page 58 who provide medical marijuana certifications –– it has shrunk considerably since 2023 after adult use opened . Since the passage of adult use and the change from one-year certifications and renewals to three years , and now allowing nurse practitioners to provide patient certifications , doctors are dropping out and closing business locations due to slashed revenues .
Where would we be today regarding legally purchasing cannabis for medical uses without the doctors and nurses willing to step forward and
Continued on page 34 ►
MAGAZINE
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 Share Their Story . We hope you join and enjoy “ The EVOLUTION .” Since 2019
PUBLISHER , EDITOR-IN-CHIEF : Bill Cromwell News , Articles , Advertisement , & Requests Should Email to : Bill . C @ TheEvolutionMag . com Corporate Office 816.886.9017 Kansas City , MO Mail to : P . O . Box 485 , Grain Valley , MO 64029
MANAGING EDITOR , VP OF OPERATIONS : Victoria Cromwell Subscription inquiries / updates to : Victoria . c @ theevolutionmag . com
DIRECTOR MARKETING and EDITORIAL DEVELOPMENT : Clayton Stallings CREATIVE DESIGNER , GRAPHIC ARTS and EDITORIAL : Bill Cromwell PHOTOGRAPHY : Clayton Stallings , and guests photographers
Our Team of Expert Writers and Cannabis Industry Leaders
● Danielle Buntyon ― Elevated Learning
● Dana Cunningham — Cooking with CBD and THC
● Dolores Halbin , RN — Patient Advocate and Awareness
● Peter Kershaw — Health and Safety Columnist
● Leah Maurer — Health , Awareness , Ask Leah Columnist
● Dr . Poppa , D . O ., M . B . A . ― Medical Health News
● Jay Richardson ― Patient Features
● Rocco Scarcello ― Educational
● Todd Scattini ― Veterans News
● Monthly Guest Writers — Cannabis News & Feature Stories
The EVOLUTION TM Magazine offers a monthly print magazine that is distributed throughout western Missouri , select St . Louis locations , eastern Kansas and the Lake of the Ozarks region . Free printed copies are found at nearly 360 locations including CBD stores , MMJ Dispensaries , Garden and Grow Supply Stores , doctors offices , restaurants , sports bars , resorts , and many other select locations . In addition , the monthly magazine is offered online in an inter-active E-magazine at www . TheEvolutionMag . com .
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