Missouri to licensees: a DEA registration does not make interstate shipping legal

Missouri's Division of Cannabis Regulation issued guidance last week telling medical marijuana businesses not to ship or receive cannabis across state lines, even if they hold a federal DEA registration. Marijuana Moment reported the guidance on November 9.

The division's position is that Missouri law does not authorize importing, exporting or interstate commerce in regulated cannabis. A licensee can hold federal authorization but cannot use it until the state updates its rules, and there is currently no import, export or transport framework. It describes moving product out of the regulated system as diversion and bringing outside product in as inversion.

The guidance also reminds licensees that state tracking, testing and visitor-access rules still apply, and that federal registration depends on keeping the state license in good standing. More guidance is promised once rules change.

The takeaway for multistate operators eyeing a post-rescheduling supply chain is that the federal door opening does not open the state one. Interstate trade will need state-by-state rule changes, and regulators like Missouri's are signalling they intend to move on their own timeline.