Missouri candidate to try to legalize medical marijuana

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A candidate for Missouri lieutenant governor says he's launching a campaign to legalize medical marijuana in the state.

Brad Bradshaw, a Democrat, said Tuesday he's submitted a medical marijuana initiative petition to the state Secretary of State's office for review. If the petition is approved and garners enough signatures, Missouri voters would decide next year whether the state constitution should be amended to allow the sale of marijuana for medical reasons.

Bradshaw says he opposes allowing recreational marijuana use, but medical marijuana is "inevitable."

His plan would heavily tax the sale of medical marijuana, with the money going to construction and operation of a medical research facility.

Bradshaw's effort would coincide with several proposals to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.