Medical marijuana program yields $6.8M for veterans

FILE: Marijuana plants are pictured at the Baker's marijuana nursery at Baker Medical Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Oklahoma City.
FILE: Marijuana plants are pictured at the Baker's marijuana nursery at Baker Medical Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Oklahoma City.

The Missouri Veterans Commission received more than $6.8 million Thursday.

The funds, transferred from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), represent the second transfer from the state's medical marijuana program.

Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 (know as Article XIV), which created the program, requires that fees and taxes the program generates be transferred to the commission to assist with health care services for veterans. DHSS is allowed to retain some money for operation costs.

DHSS announced it transferred $6,843,310 to the commission Thursday. The transfer represented the second since voters passed the amendment in 2018. The first transfer, which totalled $2,135,510, occurred in September 2020.

Medical marijuana is taxed at a 4 percent rate. Since medical marijuana dispensaries began to open in October last year, more than $113 million in sales have occurred.

Paul Kirchhoff, the commission's executive director, said funds are to be used for health and safety initiatives, and to complete the Missouri Veterans Cemetery-Jacksonville columbarium wall.