Why recreational marijuana is good for Missouri

In response to the Editorial Board, the Management of Organic Remedies Missouri, Inc. (ORMO), a state licensed grower, processor and dispensary operator located in Chaffee and Cape Girardeau, provides the following counterpoints to the Editorial Board's conclusion that "Recreational Marijuana amendment would be a disaster for Missouri."

In contrast to the Editorial Board, we strongly recommend a "YES" vote for Amendment 3, and believe adult-use legalization is very good for the Cape Girardeau area, especially the community of Chaffee, Missouri, for the following reasons:

1. Recreational marijuana has existed in Missouri for decades if not longer, sold illegally by those operating in the black market. The marijuana market size will not increase significantly with the passage of Amendment 3. Marijuana is currently sold illegally by the same dealers that sell heroin, meth, cocaine and other illegal drugs. Their goal is to turn marijuana users into addictive drug users. There are many credible studies that show marijuana use has been effective in controlling and lowering opioid use. Legalizing marijuana will free up law enforcement to focus on more serious crime, in addition to its economic benefits of tax revenue and creating jobs in Chaffee and Cape Girardeau and surrounding areas.

2. In contrast to the current illegal recreational market, Amendment 3 will be regulated by the State's Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), the current regulator of the medical marijuana program. DHSS has done an excellent job in regulating the market, including tight controls with the requirement for security and cameras accessible to the state compliance officers, periodic and annual inspections of the licensed-operators' premises, records and processes. Citations, warnings, fines, penalties and some suspensions have been handed down to licensed-operators in specific cases.

3. Amendment 3 requires product testing for microbials, heavy metals, and other toxins, unlike illegal recreational marijuana. Any products that fail testing, will be remediated or destroyed per regulations. The illegal marijuana market has no testing or controls, with marijuana laced with toxins and as seen in recent cases, fentanyl.

4. Amendment 3 requires security to ensure diversion of product does not occur. In Chaffee, ORMO has 92 cameras and strict badging and ingress and egress protocols to ensure product is not diverted illegally.

5. Per Amendment 3, legal product will be sold by licensed operators approved and regulated by DHSS, with standard processes to verify that a consumer must be 21 years old at a minimum. ORMO supports and participated in education and awareness and has worked with law enforcement with programs to educate those under 21, parents, teachers and students.

6. In Chaffee, ORMO took an old Columbia Sportswear facility and cabinet assembly facility, and renovated into a state-of-the-art growing and processing facility, built to FDA standards. It looks like any FDA regulated facility, with very clean spaces, protective suits, hair nets and booties. It is a normal factory in every sense, and our managers and employees take great pride in the products they produce and place where they work.

7. ORMO has created over 100 good paying jobs with benefits, in a community that needed an economic boost, and includes employees from the surrounding communities such as Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Oran, Scott City, and many others. With Amendment 3, 150 additional jobs are expected to be added in Chaffee alone, with additional jobs in our Cape Girardeau store, and our other 3 stores in Saint Louis, Sedalia and Kansas City. Our local employees come from families with great values and work ethic, and all they needed were jobs. Amendment 3 will create more jobs in Chaffee, as well as our Cape Girardeau store. Amendment 3 is crucial to the current employees and the additional jobs and revenue which will be created.

Vote "Yes" to Amendment 3.

Ray Boyer is principal of Organic Remedies Missouri, Inc. in Chaffee, Missouri.