Racks of curing cannabis nugs hanging from the ceiling at a commercial grow operation.

Sarah Climaco

Bill to Legalize Adult Cannabis Use Unveiled in St. Louis, Missouri

A measure introduced in St. Louis, Missouri would legalize the cultivation, possession, and sale of cannabis within city limits for adults 21-and-older, allowing them to possess up to two ounces of cannabis and grow up to 10 plants, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Consumption would be limited to private, residential properties and employers could not fire or refuse to hire someone for legally using cannabis under the new letter of the law.

According to the bill sponsor, Alderman Megan Green, the measure would allow law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes at a time when their resources are limited. The proposal already has a co-sponsor in Alderman Shane Cohn who in 2013 championed a decriminalization measure in the city. That ordinance means that first and second-time offenders caught with less than 35 grams of cannabis receive a $100 to $500 fine in lieu of criminal charges or jail time.

Koran Addo, a spokesperson for Mayor Lyda Krewson, told the Post-Dispatch that while the mayor favored cannabis decriminalization it would be “very difficult for a city to go alone” on the issue and that it would “have to be worked on on a broader basis.”

Green said that in addition to providing criminal relief and freeing up police, the bill could help raise revenues in the city.

“(Cannabis) is a $6 billion industry and rapidly growing,” Green said in the report. “It’s hard to calculate, but there is, I think a huge potential for revenue generation.”

The bill is expected to be read for the first time on Friday.

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