State officials say it’s possible the COVID-19 pandemic could result in delays in Missouri’s medical marijuana program, but representatives of medicinal cannabis dispensaries in Cape Girardeau and Jackson say they expect to be open by this fall as long as they have “product” to sell by then.

“Hopefully, we’ll see some (dispensaries) open in August,” said Lisa Cox, head of public relations with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) in Jefferson City. “I don’t know that we can say that with 100% certainty, but we’re on track so far.”

She said DHSS “remains on track” with its timeline and processes, but “some facilities have reported setbacks to their implementation efforts related to COVID-19.”

Others, she said, report they are on schedule and DHSS is proceeding with verification and certification of cultivation, production, testing, transportation and distribution operations in the state.

“It is too early to say whether COVID-19 will cause significant delays in implementation of the (state’s) medical marijuana industry as a whole,” Cox said, “however, individual circumstances will be considered as deadlines draw nearer.”

According to DHSS regulations, medical marijuana license holders must be operational by this winter.

Locally, plans are moving ahead for dispensaries in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area.

“Because of COVID, it’s taking a little longer than expected,” said Krystal Wright, contact person for a dispensary planned for Cape Girardeau to be known as Greenlight.

Greenlight, she said, could be open in the next three to four months.

“We’re hoping by late August or September,” she said. “We should have product by then.”

Wright said it’s her understanding at least four cultivation operations have completed their state inspections and should be harvesting their first crops of medical-grade cannabis within a matter of weeks. From there, the plants will go to testing and production facilities before being shipped to dispensaries.

“So in three months, we’re hoping to actually have product,” she said.

Greenlight’s opening date could also depend on its location. It’s license with DHSS lists its address as 420 Siemers Drive. However, Wright said it may be relocated because of its proximity to another dispensary planned for 69 Doctors’ Park.

“We’re looking at another location that might better suit our needs,” she said, “but we might stay there. We’re just waiting to see what the state says and how long it will take (to revise the license).”

Wright, based in Kansas City, Missouri, is a consultant for about a dozen medical marijuana license holders in Missouri in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas as well as Southeast Missouri.

The Greenlight dispensary license is held by Cape Girardeau Investments LLC. Although Wright declined to identify the ownership of Cape Girardeau Investments, she said it includes “a pharmacist, a doctor and a couple of business owners who live there.”

Bloom Medicinals of Missouri LLC is licensed to operate the Doctors’ Park dispensary, which will be known as Bloom Medicinals. The company is planning three other Missouri dispensaries — in Springfield, O’Fallon and Plattsburg. It is also licensed to operate cultivation and processing facilities in O’Fallon and Plattsburg.

“Just like all other businesses, COVID-19 has certainly presented some delays in business as usual,” said R.J. Starr, the company’s head of compliance and human resources. “However, Bloom Medicinals intends to comply with the end-of-year deadline set by the Department of Health and Senior Services.”

The only medical marijuana dispensary licensed to operate in Jackson will be known as The Herbalist. It was originally licensed to operate at 2387 W. Jackson Blvd., but the dispensary’s ownership group, Missouri Medical Marijuana Collective LLC, now plans to open in the former American Woodsman building at 1336 Clover Drive.

“Our build out has not begun,” said Justin Neely, managing member with Missouri Medical Marijuana Collective. “Demo is scheduled to start this week, and we hope to have permits the following week.”

According to Jackson building and planning superintendent Janet Sanders, the new location is suitable for the dispensary under the city’s zoning and medical marijuana ordinances.

“COVID-19 has had little direct effect on our company’s momentum,” Neely said, although he pointed out there will be some operational changes once The Herbalist opens.

“The main impact COVID-19 has had on our operational plan is making the availability for (product) delivery a top-level priority,” he said. “We realize we will be serving at-risk individuals and want them to be able to acquire their medicine without leaving the comfort of their homes. We will also be giving our cleaning and sterilizing standard operating procedures some attention.”

Neely said he hopes the Jackson dispensary will be open by late September. The company is also licensed to operate a dispensary in Kennett, Missouri.

Representatives of two other dispensaries licensed in Cape Girardeau — Organic Remedies MO Inc., 350 N. Kingshighway, and QPS Missouri Holdings LLC, 772 S. Kingshighway — did not respond to the Southeast Missourian’s request for comments in time for inclusion in this article.

Sixty-five percent of Missouri voters approved Amendment 2 in November 2018, legalizing the medical use of marijuana for qualifying patients in Missouri.

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