For the reason that launch of the state’s medical marijuana program in October 2020, greater than 138,000 Missourians — together with 1,000 to three,000 Franklin County residents — have acquired state-issued medical marijuana playing cards.
Though breakdowns of the ages and medical circumstances of these sufferers needing medical marijuana aren’t but accessible for this yr, they’re accessible in a report from the Division of Well being and Senior Providers outlining the medical marijuana program in Missouri with information from December 2019 to December 2020, when 68,510 playing cards have been issued.
Based on the report, of these Missourians receiving a medical marijuana card, 24.7 % have been people of their 30s; 20.23 % have been of their 40s; 17.97 % have been of their 50s; 16.93 % have been of their 60s; and 4.72 % have been over 70.
Missourians between the ages of 18 and 29 characterize 15.13 % of all cardholders, and people youthful than 17 years previous account for lower than 1 % of all cardholders.
An age breakdown of Franklin County cardholders was not accessible.
These numbers aren’t shocking to Jack Cardetti, spokesperson for the Missouri Medical Hashish Commerce Affiliation.
“That’s actually in keeping with what our members are seeing at present,” Cardetti stated. “A lot of these sufferers actually have medical circumstances that, for years, they’ve been treating with prescription drugs that they’re now speaking with medical doctors about receiving medical marijuana for and hopefully avoiding some unintended effects.”
With a view to buy medical marijuana, sufferers should have a state-issued license, which Missouri residents qualify for if they’ve one of many permitted circumstances and have acquired certification from a licensed doctor. These circumstances embrace Crohn’s illness, migraines, most cancers, inflammatory bowel illness, epilepsy and glaucoma.
Based on the state well being division’s report, 28 % of all medical hashish customers within the state final yr used it to fight power medical circumstances; 17 % for psychiatric problems, 6 % for migraines and three % for terminal diseases. A further 30 % used hashish for bodily and psychological dependence.
Cardetti stated many sufferers, notably within the undefined power circumstances class, had beforehand been utilizing prescription opioids, which might trigger unintended effects together with nausea, slowed coronary heart price, sleepiness, lack of consciousness, constipation and shallow respiratory and may develop into addictive for a lot of sufferers, in line with the American Society of Anesthesiologists. However now, these sufferers, he stated, have turned to medical marijuana to keep away from a few of these unintended effects.
“As we sit right here at present, medical marijuana is bringing reduction to 140,000 Missourians,” Cardetti stated. “We even have 5,000 staff employed by the trade.”
With a number of dispensaries opened, Franklin County has one of many highest focus of medical marijuana cardholders within the state. There are dispensaries in Washington and St. Clair. A 3rd dispensary in Pacific has not but been given ultimate approval to open.
A licensed manufacturing facility, Midwest Roots, has acquired permission to function from the state at its location on Outdated Freeway 100.
The breakdown of medical marijuana cardholders in adjoining counties have been, in Warren County, between 501 and 1,000 residents; Gasconade County, fewer than 250 residents; Crawford County, between 251 and 500 residents; Washington County, fewer than 250 residents; Jefferson County, between 1,000 and three,000 residents; St. Louis County, between 5,000 and 9,000 residents; metropolis of St. Louis, between 1,000 and three,000 residents; and St. Charles County, between 3,000 and 5,000 residents.
These numbers are as of December 5, 2020, which is the latest information accessible from the state.
Medical marijuana, which was made authorized in Missouri in 2018 when voters permitted a poll referendum in favor of legalization, was first offered within the state in October 2020.
