How to Apply in Missouri

 A.  Obtain your qualifying diagnosis records; these records can be from any licensed physician with the exception of mental health diagnosis records which much come from a board licensed psychiatrist.

• Your diagnosing doctor DOES NOT have to be the same physician that completes your patient certification.

B.  Contact a clinic that is participating in the certification process to schedule your patient certification appointment. We recommend The Green Clinics, founded by Emily Branch. They provide statewide certifications as well as tele-health appointments for those patients that cannot travel to a physical clinic.

• If your qualifying patient is a pediatric patient, you must complete the Parent/Legal Guardian Consent Form

C.  During your certification appointment, your doctor will complete the Physician Certification Form after reviewing your medical records and speaking with you about your medical/treatment history.

• 1) This Physician Certification Form is the required form for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to process your medical marijuana license application. All parts of the form must be completely in its entirety with 100% accuracy.
• 2) Most clinics will email your certification form to the same email address you plan on using to apply for your license so ensure you have an active and accessible email address prior to your appointment.

D.  If you and your physician both agree that an extended possession amount (beyond four (4) ounces) is beneficial to your treatment, two doctors certifications are required.

• Each certifying physician will provide their recommendations on monthly possession amounts of medicine. If for some reason they do not agree on amounts, the lesser amount will be what is approved and processed by Dept. of Health & Senior Services.

3) Do you want to authorize a primary caregiver to grow and purchase your medicine?

• If you are planning to utilize a caregiver, you must complete and submit a Patient Authorization Form that gives your caregiver permission to grow and purchase cannabis products for you.
• Just because you authorize a caregiver to grow and/or purchase your medicine, you as the patient can also still purchase from dispensaries.
• All pediatric, non-emancipated patients must have a caregiver designated.

4) Do you have all of the required information documents to apply for your license?

• Identifying information: name, date of birth, social security number;
• Residence: residence address, mailing address or place where qualifying patient can receive mail;
• Proof of Missouri residency: a copy of a valid Missouri driver’s license, a Missouri Identification Card, a current Missouri motor vehicle registration, OR a recent Missouri utility bill;
• E-mail address;
• Physician Certification Form; digital by scanning or photographing.
• A legible copy of the qualifying patient’s photo identification issued by a state or federal government entity;
• A Parental/Legal Guardian Consent Form for non-emancipated qualifying patient; This is required for ALL patients that are non-emancipated and under the age of 18 years old.
• A clear, color photo of the qualifying patient’s face taken within the prior three (3) months;  Make sure the photo is taken against a white or off white background.
• At the option of the applicant, a statement indicating whether the qualifying patient is currently receiving assistance from any Missouri programs for low-income individuals, and if so, which programs; 
• Please keep in mind, your participation in this portion is completely optional. Many clinics and dispensaries will work with patients on cost of certification as well as your cannabis for those in such programs. 
• No, you will not lose your low-income program eligibility by disclosing this on your application
• All applicable fees.
        - 1) $25 patient license. 
        - 2) $25 caretaker
        - 3) $100 cultivation license for each grow (either patient or caretaker will have to pay, each grow requires cultivation license and must be paid when applying, cannot add later.)

6)  Once you have registered and confirmed your email address, you can proceed to the MMJ portal application.

• It is imperative that you take your time and ask questions while completing your application. Toll-Free Access Line: 866-219-0165 (8:30 am – 3:30 pm CST Monday-Friday) or email medicalmarijuanainfo@health.mo.gov
• It is critical that any and all information from your certification is copied letter for letter into your application.

7)  While you are completing your patient license application, you must determine if you as a patient want personal cultivation AND if you are going to cultivate yourself OR if you will enter into an agreement with a caregiver to cultivate your medicine.

• Patient cultivation grants you the ability to cultivate six (6) female flowering plants, six (6) male plants and six (6) clones.
• You must apply to cultivate yourself OR to have a caregiver cultivate for you. You CANNOT have both.
• Either the patient OR the caregiver can pay the fee but it is not necessary for both to pay the cultivation fee.

4)  The name and Patient License Number or Caregiver License Number, if applicable, of one other qualifying patient or primary caregiver with whom the cultivating facility will be shared;

• It has been clarified with DHSS that one caregiver may grow their own patient medications as well as that of three (3) other patients.
• One grow room may not consist of more than 18 flowering females, 18 male and 18 clones.
• A second room may be used for the fourth patient’s plant cultivation.
• Security for both rooms must be independent of one another and access limited to the patient(s) and caregiver specific to each room.
• Each patient may only tend to their own plants within each grow room.

• Security logs are imperative to your grow room(s) as is cleanliness and organization.

5)  A statement affirming the applicant’s agreement to immediately make available access to the patient cultivation facility upon request from the department.

• Such access will be only for purposes of confirming compliance with this rule and will be limited to the enclosed locked facility and any areas necessary to reach and enter the facility on a path of the patient’s or primary caregiver’s choosing;

7)  Within 7 business days, you should receive your approval or denial.

• Keep in mind that a denial, in many cases, will give you the opportunity to correct anything necessary and resubmit.
• If you have any questions at all, you should be able to utilize the staff from the clinic that certified you, you may contact DHSS or their are many reputable groups to reach out to through email and social media.

9)  Once you have received your approval, its time to download your patient ID card.

• You MUST download your card as MO DHSS WILL NOT be providing physical cards.
• Once you’ve downloaded your card, our tip to print and carry is reduce your .pdf file by 63% and then laminate the card for easy carry in your wallet.
• Keep in mind if you are cultivating, your patient license card must be posted clearly in your grow area.

1. Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
2. The Green Clinics
3. Missouri Medical Cannabis Network
4. Missouri Medical Cannabis Network Patient/Caregiver Connect
5. Missouri Marijuana Legalization Movement