Talk with a Missouri-licensed physician or nurse practitioner about medical marijuana. If you qualify, you'll apply for a state card that's valid for three years and taxed at a lower rate than adult-use.
Missouri's Division of Cannabis Regulation handles applications online, so there's nothing to mail.
A Missouri-licensed MD, DO, or nurse practitioner registered with the state reviews your history and completes a certification if you qualify.
Create an account in the state's online registry and apply within 30 days of your provider's signature date.
The Department of Health and Senior Services has up to 30 days to process applications and emails you the result.
Download your approved card from the registry and print it. It stays valid for three years.
Telemedicine is allowed when the standard of care doesn't require an in-person exam — your provider will let you know which applies.
Gather these before you start your application to avoid delays.
Completed by your provider and submitted to the state. It must be less than 30 days old when you apply.
A legible copy of a valid, government-issued photo ID.
A clear, recent color photo of your face — no hats, sunglasses, or filters.
The state sends application updates and approval notices by email, so use one you check often.
Certification appointments work the same wherever you live in the region. Approximate drive times to Cape Girardeau:
Drive times are approximate and vary with traffic.
Versus 6% for adult-use, plus up to 3% local.
Compared with 3 ounces per adult-use transaction.
Adults 18 to 20 can only buy legally as patients.
Cards stay valid for three years at a time.
“I drive in from Jackson for work anyway, so the evaluation fit right into my week. Having the list of what to upload saved me a second trip through the application.”
— Kevin T., Jackson“I'm a SEMO grad student with chronic migraines. The provider took my history seriously and explained exactly what Missouri requires.”
— Alyssa P., Cape GirardeauThe constitution names conditions including cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, intractable migraines, PTSD, HIV/AIDS, terminal illness, and chronic pain or spasms, and allows other chronic or debilitating conditions in a provider's professional judgment.
A physician (MD or DO) or nurse practitioner licensed and in good standing in Missouri and registered with the Department of Health and Senior Services.
Three years. Renewal requires a new certification; the renewal window opens 60 days before expiration.
Yes, adjusted annually for inflation. Current amounts are on the DHSS fee schedule.
Yes. Patients can designate up to two caregivers, who must be at least 21 and hold caregiver cards.
On the Department of Health and Senior Services patient FAQ page.
Located off Broadway near Harmony Street, within walking distance of Southeast Missouri State University, and serving both medical and adult-use customers. Several other licensed dispensaries also operate in town — check hours before you go.
A flat walk along the Mississippi past the painted floodwall, with views of the cable-stayed Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.
Cape Girardeau takes its name from an eighteenth-century French trading post near a rocky promontory on the Mississippi, and it grew into Southeast Missouri's regional hub. Today it's home to Southeast Missouri State University, a historic downtown along the riverfront, and the floodwall murals that tell the region's story. Residents follow the same statewide medical marijuana process as every Missourian.
Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution authorizes medical and adult-use marijuana. The Division of Cannabis Regulation within the Department of Health and Senior Services licenses patients and caregivers and issues cards through its online registry.
Lower tax, higher limits, caregiver privileges, and access from age 18 keep the medical program worthwhile. For current guidance, see DHSS Cannabis Patient Services.
Appointments with Missouri-licensed physicians and nurse practitioners.