The EVOLUTION Magazine September 2022 | Page 22

ask Leah ...
MMJ card holders concerned about getting fired or drug tested .

ask Leah ...

Missouri Cannabis Education

What Are My Employment Rights as a MMJ Cardholder ?

MMJ card holders concerned about getting fired or drug tested .
by Leah Maurer , contributing writer

Leah

Leah Maurer , a native Missourian , is now a canna-journalist and activist living in Portland , OR . She is a co-owner of ​ www . TheWeedBlog . com , a top national cannabis news and information publication , where she serves as the Editorial Lead . In 2014 , Leah founded Moms for YES on Measure 91 through grassroots efforts alone , it proved pivotal in the passage of the Measure , successfully legalizing recreational / adult-use cannabis in the OR . Leah is a social justice and cannabis activist at the core and hopes to see an end to the prohibition of cannabis globally .

Nearly 70 % of Missouri voters said yes to medical marijuana in 2018 . One would think that this overwhelming majority of public opinion would help push forward consumer and patient rights , especially when it comes to being fired from a job or drug testing in the workplace .

A reader of this column recently contacted me to ask about this exact thing . She explained that , because of the nature of her work , she was nervous to tell her primary care doctor that she had an MMJ card , citing concerns about them drug testing her , getting her in trouble , or potentially firing her from her current job . Her question was , “ Do I tell my primary doctor that I have an MMJ card ?”
This is a loaded question ! While I cannot offer legal advice on this ( I am an activist , not a lawyer ), what I can do is explain what your basic rights are as an MMJ cardholder in Missouri . ( When in doubt , it ’ s always best to consult an attorney .)
As a registered Missouri medical marijuana patient and cardholder , you may :
● Legally use cannabis on your private property .
● Possess up to four ounces of dried marijuana / cannabis or its equivalent in the form of edibles , tinctures , cartridges , etc .
● Purchase a maximum of four ounces of flower , or its equivalent , every 30 days . If you think your medical condition requires you to use more than four ounces , reach out to the doctor that referred you for your MMJ card for counseling ( patients can exceed the purchase limits if they receive approval from two physicians ). Qualifying patients and primary caregivers may purchase medical marijuana and medical marijuanainfused products . ( Equivalence ratios : one oz dried , unprocessed marijuana = 8g concentrate = 800 mg THC-infused products ).
● Have up to a 60-day supply ( eight ounces or 226 grams ) of unprocessed marijuana or equivalent ( if NOT cultivating ).
● Apply for and receive a qualifying patient cultivation identification card if you wish to home grow . The cultivation card allows them to grow the following at any given time in a single , enclosed , locked facility : ; 6 flowering plants ; 6 non-flowering plants ( over 14 inches tall ) ; 6 clones ( plants under 14 inches tall )
( NOTE : See more about Missouri monthly purchase and possession limits information on page 68 .)
If you ’ re growing for yourself , and state licensed to do so , you ’ re allowed to store up to 12 ounces of dried flower on your private property . Only qualifying patients who are authorized to cultivate medical marijuana may also purchase plants , seeds , and clones in dispensaries .
22 September 2022