Missouri weighs curbside pickup rule for licensed dispensaries

A new proposal reported by the Jefferson City News Tribune would let Missouri's 238 retail dispensaries offer curbside sales.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

Missouri regulators are considering a proposal that would allow licensed dispensaries to offer curbside pickup to customers, according to the Jefferson City News Tribune, which first reported the plan.

The proposal surfaces amid a broader stretch of regulatory activity in Missouri's adult-use cannabis market. Recent coverage has tracked a new microbusiness application window that opened in July, an ongoing dispute over cannabis testing rules tied to a vape recall, and state efforts to address delays in ownership approvals and rule-breaking by license holders, according to Missouri Independent reporting.

The numbers

State license records show Missouri currently has 238 open retail dispensary licenses, the population that would be affected if a curbside rule is adopted. Cultivation, manufacturing, and lab license counts were not available in the current dataset.

The proposal also comes as Missouri's cannabis market has posted strong financial results. MJBizDaily reported the state's cannabis sales reached a record $135.1 million in May, and KCTV reported cumulative tax revenue had reached $255 million, roughly six times initial projections. KOMU 8 separately reported the state health department had transferred $71.9 million in marijuana-related funds in June. Together, these figures suggest a market regulators may be looking to further streamline as sales volumes grow.

What to watch next

It remains unclear from available reporting when or whether the curbside pickup proposal would take effect, or whether it would apply uniformly across all 238 open retail licenses. Given Missouri's recent regulatory focus on ownership approval delays and rule enforcement, any curbside rule may also draw scrutiny over compliance requirements for participating dispensaries. Further detail from the formal rulemaking process, if published, would clarify implementation timing and eligibility.