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Missouri's Psychoactive Hemp Products Boom Sparks Regulatory, Industry Conflict

Missouri’s hemp market is experiencing rapid growth, thanks to regulatory gaps in the 2018 Farm Bill. Consumers can now purchase intoxicating hemp products resembling marijuana buds and joints outside state-regulated dispensaries. These products, often sold in CBD shops, coffee houses and farmers markets are creating a parallel market that challenges the state’s licensed marijuana industry.

Hemp Vs. Marijuana: A Growing Divide

At the MJ Unpacked Conference in St. Louis, industry experts discussed this emerging “civil war” between the hemp and marijuana sectors. David Vaillencourt of Denver-based S3 Collective told the Missouri Independent that the Farm Bill’s descheduling of hemp has blurred the lines. “Now people are saying, ‘Well, basically all marijuana is hemp.'” This has led to two markets operating under vastly different regulations.