Politics

Surprise, Missouri! State opens adult-use marijuana sales three days early

Published on February 3, 2023
first-legal-sale-in-Missouri-at-good-day-farm
Missouri gave the green light to adult-use sales on Friday morning, three days ahead of schedule. The first sale at Good Day Farm in Independence, pictured here, happened at 8:12 a.m. (Photo: Good Day Farm)

Missouri officially joined the adult-use club early this morning, as state officials gave the green light to recreational sales three days ahead of schedule.

This marks the fastest vote-to-sale time in legal cannabis history. Missouri voters approved adult-use legalization on the Nov. 8, 2022, ballot. Less than three months later, local residents lined up to sample the goods.

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How to find the legal weed stores opening in Missouri

Sales were expected to begin on Monday, Feb. 6, but yesterday afternoon state regulatory officials said they would allow adult-use sales to start on Friday morning at 196 operating medical marijuana dispensaries.

That caused some confusion, as it remained unclear whether all stores would be ready to serve non-medical customers over the weekend.

A number of stores were vying for “first sale” bragging rights. The Good Day Farm store in Independence recorded its first sale (photo above) at 8:12 a.m.

Lux-managers-celebrate-opening-day
Store managers Mike and Phillip Williams celebrate the opening of rec sales outside Luxury Leaf, a Black-owned cannabis store in St. Louis. (Photo: Janessa Bailey / Leafly)

Leafly will continue to follow today’s opening as it rolls on across the state.

Congratulations, Missouri!

Ready for the crowds

good-day-farm-staff-greet-first-day-customers
The crew at Good Day Farm in St. Louis’ Central West End gets ready to serve Missouri’s first recreational cannabis customers. (Photo: Janessa Bailey / Leafly)

Just hanging at the dispo

We’re open. No, really, we’re open.

budtender-at-viola-cannabis-store
Budtender Trevor Izar is ready to serve customers 21 and older at Viola, a new store across from the new soccer stadium in St. Louis. (Photo: Janessa Bailey / Leafly)

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Bruce Barcott
Bruce Barcott
Leafly Senior Editor Bruce Barcott oversees news, investigations, and feature projects. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and author of Weed the People: The Future of Legal Marijuana in America.
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