Less than a year after recreational marijuana first hit the shelves in Missouri, the state is cracking down on just how appealing marijuana product packaging can be. New rules, governing the number and types of colors, symbols and text that can be displayed on marijuana products, go into effect next year.
The deadline — now set for Jan. 31, 2024 — was extended from the original date of July 30 to give manufacturers and dispensaries a longer grace period to sell existing products.
Missourians voted in favor of the constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in November 2022 and marijuana products became recreationally available in dispensaries in February.
The amendment included language stating marijuana and marijuana-infused products should not be attractive to children or manufactured in shapes or packages that are “easily confused with commercially sold candy that does not contain marijuana.”
The amendment allows the Department of Health and Senior Services to expand on these regulations. Throughout March, DHSS received more than 800 public comments suggesting changes to the regulations, which were taken into account for the new, final rules.
DHSS’ new rules limit packaging to one primary package color and up to two logos or symbols that can be of different colors. These logos or symbols cannot be larger than the clearly printed word, “Marijuana” in black or white text.
Additionally, the following warning should be printed on all marijuana products:…
