A must-read for anyone who touches cannabis—this is more than a state scuffle. It's a signal flare for what could unravel everywhere.

Missouri’s Cannabis Industry Is in a Civil War — And You’re Caught in the Crossfire

Missouri's cannabis market didn’t just arrive—it fought to exist. Two voter-backed wins established a tightly regulated adult-use ecosystem that drew national attention. Operators invested, consumers gained access, and the tax dollars flowed. By every measurable standard, Missouri was becoming a model for how to do legalization right in the Midwest.

Now? That progress is under threat.

Behind closed doors and on private calls, a faction of hemp entrepreneurs is pushing a petition that would erase that progress with a single sweep. The 41-page constitutional amendment that legalized recreational cannabis in 2022 would be tossed out—replaced by vague legislative guidance and an “alcohol-style” regulation model that has yet to be defined. This isn’t just a procedural update. It’s a full-scale reboot.

Wait—Who’s Behind This and Why Should I Care?

This effort is being led by American Shaman, a Kansas City-based hemp company, with political backing from a brand-new committee called Missourians for a Single Market. Their pitch is simple: treat marijuana the same as alcohol and tobacco. Fewer barriers. Fewer restrictions. Sell it in the same stores where you grab a six-pack.

Sounds great, right? Until you realize what gets lost in translation.

Hemp operators—many of whom are feeling targeted by increasing state scrutiny—want what they see as regulatory equality. But the proposed solution isn’t about raising hemp standards to match cannabis—it’s about lowering cannabis oversight until there’s barely any distinction at all. The entire industry gets flattened to fit into a model that favors convenience over care.

And if you're not already tracking, this petition is scheduled to be filed by August 2025, with hopes of landing on the November 2026 ballot. The clock is already ticking.

How the Current System Works—and Why It Actually Works

Let’s talk structure.

Missouri’s existing cannabis laws aren’t just guardrails—they’re the reason the state has a thriving, trusted, and tax-generating program. They require licensed dispensaries to meet rigorous standards: product testing, labeling, packaging, and track-and-trace technology that follows every gram from seed to sale. Patients and adult-use consumers know that what they’re buying is safe, regulated, and consistent.

That system—imperfect as it may be—was built with intention. It’s why $241 million in state and local tax revenue was collected last year. It’s why Missouri cannabis products don’t get pulled for mystery ingredients or untested cannabinoids. It’s why investors, patients, and municipalities trust the program.

Dismantling that framework in favor of legislative guesswork is like knocking out the foundation of a house and hoping the walls stand up on charm alone.

We’re Not Anti-Hemp. We’re Pro-Fair Play.

Let’s be crystal clear: this isn’t a war between weed and hemp. It’s a reckoning with what happens when reform is rushed for profit.

We support the hemp industry’s right to grow, innovate, and build a sustainable future. Hemp-derived cannabinoids have created opportunities for small business owners, rural economies, and entrepreneurs who might never have gained access through the hyper-regulated cannabis system. That matters. And Paragon supports both sides of this industry—we proudly serve hemp companies and marijuana operators alike.

But pushing deregulation for hemp by gutting marijuana protections isn't unity—it's an imbalance that could destabilize everything. If we’re going to share the market, we also need to share the responsibility: for consumer safety, compliance, product quality, and community investment.

We’re not saying “no” to hemp. We’re saying “yes” to a fair playing field.

The Marijuana Industry Is NOT Having It

Leaders within Missouri’s cannabis space are sounding every alarm they can. Andrew Mullins of the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association didn’t mince words—calling the move a “bait and switch.” And from where dispensary owners stand, it’s easy to see why.

They’ve spent years navigating regulations, paying licensing fees, investing in security systems, hiring compliance officers, and submitting to product testing requirements. Now, they’re being told those efforts may have been for nothing—and that the gas station down the street could soon sell similar (or identical) products with no such oversight.

The regulated market in Missouri wasn’t built overnight. It took voter participation, policy refinement, and real financial sacrifice from local operators. That investment isn’t just in infrastructure—it’s in trust. And ripping it out to level the field? That’s not reform. That’s erasure.

2025: The Year the Rulebook Became Optional

This petition isn’t just about Missouri. It’s about what 2025 symbolizes—and where we go from here.

Across the country, industries born out of activism and legislative grit are facing rollbacks cloaked in language like “access,” “deregulation,” or “simplification.” We’ve seen it in reproductive rights, workers' protections, and environmental safeguards. And now, cannabis is on the chopping block.

If Missouri voters overturn their own constitutional amendment, it sends a dangerous signal: that corporate interests can undo hard-won progress by rebranding it as market evolution. If that succeeds, other states may follow. And other industries—psychedelics, crypto, sustainable agriculture—could find their own public wins quietly gutted in the name of convenience.

The deeper question becomes: who controls reform? Voters? Legislators? Or whoever can write the biggest check?

What Happens If We Let This Through?

If this petition passes, the consequences will ripple far beyond retail dynamics.

• The regulatory structure that supports product testing, licensing, and safety standards may vanish—replaced with uncertain, potentially watered-down rules from the legislature.

• Missouri’s cannabis market—ranked as one of the most successful in the country—could fracture, opening the floodgates to under-regulated products and bad actors.

• Voters will learn that even constitutional amendments can be erased when enough lobbyists get involved.

• And businesses, large and small, will face chaos: unsure whether to comply, invest, expand, or exit.

And let’s not forget the human cost. Patients, caregivers, and small business owners who built their livelihoods around a stable system will be left holding the bag—while convenience stores pocket the margin.

What You Need to Know

• A hemp-led petition would repeal Missouri’s constitutional cannabis amendment and hand regulatory control back to lawmakers

• Dispensaries see it as a move that undercuts public safety, equity, and long-term trust in the cannabis economy

• Hemp operators seek fairness, but the proposed fix risks gutting the protections that make Missouri’s system functional and respected

• A statewide ballot fight is expected in 2026

• If successful, it could unravel the legal cannabis system—and set precedent for other rollbacks across the U.S.

Paragon’s POV: Unity Doesn’t Mean Undermining

At Paragon, we don’t pick sides—we serve the entire cannabis ecosystem. That includes licensed marijuana dispensaries, legacy growers, hemp retailers, and emerging operators looking to do it right.

We believe in access. We believe in innovation. But most of all, we believe in fairness. And fairness means shared responsibility, not unearned shortcuts.

Our stance is simple:

• Progress must be shared—not stripped from one to gift another

• Consumer safety and operator trust should be non-negotiable

• Real reform requires real structure—not deregulation disguised as evolution

We’re not just payroll and compliance experts—we’re invested in protecting the credibility, longevity, and legality of this industry. Because when cannabis wins, communities win. But only when the ground beneath us holds.

🗳️ What You Can Do Today

• ✅ Share this article with your network—don’t let this conversation stay behind closed doors

• ✅ Contact your representatives and ask where they stand on this petition

• ✅ Follow the ballot language this August—know exactly what’s being proposed

• ✅ Bookmark The Paragonian for updates, explainer PDFs, and advocacy tools for dispensaries and hemp retailers alike

This isn’t just about weed anymore. It’s about democracy. Industry. And who gets to shape the future of access.

Let’s not let a quiet petition become the blueprint for quiet erasure.