Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

06/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/22/2026 14:26

Cannabis microbusiness application timeline announced for third round

For Immediate Release:
June 22, 2026

Media Contact:
Lisa Cox, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
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JEFFERSON CITY, MO - The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) will accept the third round of microbusiness license applications electronically, through the online registry portal from July 13-27, 2026. License issuance is expected to occur in December of this year. A current list of licensed microbusiness facilities can be found on the department's website.

Microbusinesses are marijuana facility licenses that are only issued to eligible entities and individuals and are designed to allow marginalized or underrepresented individuals to participate in the legal marijuana market.

Ahead of the application acceptance timeframe, microbusiness applicants should be aware of the following:

  • An entity, which includes individuals, may apply for and obtain only one license to operate a marijuana microbusiness facility, which may be either a microbusiness dispensary facility or a microbusiness wholesale facility. This means an individual's name must only appear in one application; appearing in more than one application is cause for denial of all applications in which that individual appears.
  • A microbusiness applicant may not have an owner who is also an owner of an existing medical, comprehensive, or other microbusiness marijuana facility license or certification. This limitation ensures everyone who applies has an equal chance at obtaining a microbusiness facility license.
  • Applicants for a microbusiness license shall be majority-owned and operated by individuals who each meet at least one (1) of the eligibility requirements. These requirements can be found on the department's website .
  • At least one (1) eligible individual who contributes to the majority ownership must complete pre-application training, as specified by the department.
  • Microbusiness licenses are selected via random lottery drawing. To ensure the integrity of the applicant selection process, the Missouri Lottery will conduct the drawing without reference to applicants' identities.
  • All timely applications submitted with the application fee will be entered into the lottery drawing. Untimely applications, or those submitted without an application fee, will be denied and will not go to lottery.
  • After the application submission window closes, qualifying applicants will be sorted by congressional district and license type (wholesale or dispensary) and then assigned a sequential applicant identifier within those groups. Each group will be considered its own lottery set, for a total of 16 lottery drawings. All applicants will receive an email notice prior to being sent to the lottery with their applicant identifier.
  • The lottery is scheduled to take place on Sept. 9, 2026 . The lottery drawing results will be posted to the department's website as soon as they are available. Results will be listed by congressional district.
  • Through variance to the requirement in 19 CSR 100-1.060(3)(k), fingerprint submissions will not be required within two weeks of application submission. The department will instead require fingerprint submissions post-lottery from individuals subject to disqualifying felony offense analysis as needed for review of top-drawn applications.

Those needing assistance with eligibility requirements or application forms can contact Facility Application Services at [email protected] .

The department is committed to providing enhanced communications and educational opportunities ahead of the third round of microbusiness licenses. For information on microbusiness outreach events, applicant eligibility requirements and instructions on how to apply or subscribe to email updates, visit Cannabis.mo.gov .

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General Consumer Safety & Education

While the adult-use cannabis program was built based on guidelines approved by Missouri voters, DHSS, as the state's public health authority, asks consumers to consume cannabis with caution. Adult consumers are encouraged to review the health effects of cannabis prior to consuming. Some important points of caution include the following:

  • Individuals should not use cannabis if pregnant as doing so may harm the baby's health.
  • Individuals should not operate a vehicle under the influence of marijuana. This remains illegal and dangerous as driving requires a person's full attention to stay safe and alert. Marijuana can slow one's reaction time and ability to make decisions, impair coordination and distort one's perception.
  • Adult consumers should ensure products are not accessible to those under age 21. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the teen brain is actively developing and continues to develop until around age 25. Marijuana use during adolescence and young adulthood may harm the developing brain.
  • Edibles, or food and drink products infused with marijuana, have some different risks than smoked marijuana, including a greater risk of poisoning. Unlike smoked marijuana, edibles can:
  • Take from 30 minutes to 2 hours to take effect, so some people may eat too much, which can lead to poisoning and/or serious injury.
  • Cause intoxicating effects that last longer than expected, depending on the amount ingested, the last food eaten, and medications or alcohol used at the same time.

Children, adults and pets can mistake marijuana products, particularly edibles, for regular food or candy. Consuming marijuana can make children very sick. They may have problems walking or sitting up or may have a hard time breathing. If you have concerns of possible poisoning, call the Missouri Poison Center at 800-222-1222, or 911 if it is an emergency.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services published this content on June 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 22, 2026 at 20:26 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]