The Missouri Battle for Recreational Marijuana

As the battle to legalize marijuana rages on in the state of Missouri, Jefferson City is set to pass two bills that may expedite the process.

One bill, if passed, will make the recreational use of marijuana legal. This bill was passed on Wednesday but still needs to be approved by a final committee before it reaches the house floor.

The second bill aims to do away with Missouri state personal property tax in exchange for the taxes that the sale of recreational marijuana are expected to bring in. Republican Representative Nick Schroer stated that the personal property tax in Missouri adds up to about $1.4 billion in income. According to records this is nearly equal to what other states like Illinois brought in with marijuana sales.

Some state officials say that if recreational marijuana is legalized the state of Missouri could see as much as $580 million in taxable sales by next year.