Missouri’s Division of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) awarded 48 cannabis microbusiness licenses to “marginalized or under-represented individuals.” The microbusiness licenses “are designed to allow marginalized or under-represented individuals to participate in the legal marijuana market,” according to the DHSS.
These applicants come from the state’s August 28 lottery, in which DCR received more than 1,600 applications during the July 27-August 10 application period. A list of lottery drawing results and approved microbusiness licensees can be found on the Department website, Cannabis.Mo.Gov.
Six microbusiness licenses were awarded within each of Missouri’s eight congressional districts. Of the six in each district, two are microbusiness dispensary licenses and four are microbusiness wholesale facility licenses, according to a news release.
Applicants denied licenses can request that their applications be reviewed or receive a full refund of their application fees. Requests for a refund will be accepted beginning November 2, 2023, and the microbusiness application refund request form and refund instructions will be available on the Department website by that date.
An additional 48 licenses will be issued through each subsequent application/lottery window in 2024 and 2025.