Missouri Marijuana Regulators have completed about half of 16,000 industry workers’ background checks

It is not possible to determine the case by case based on a list of offenses.

By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent

Missouri Cannabis regulators report that they have completed the fingerprint checks on 16,000 cannabis workers and volunteers, who were not fingerprinted between 2022-2024.

The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulaion (DCR) conducts background checks on all applicants for employment in the cannabis sector.

Since the division began doing the retroactive fingerprint checks in February, the number of agent IDs has declined by 2,400—going from 21,132 in February to 18,737 in June, according to the division’s data and reports webpage.

Lisa Cox said that only 17 agents had their IDs taken away because their fingerprints showed they were convicted of a felony. This was as of July 15, 2015.

Cox reported that “the vast majority” of 2,032 IDs for active agents have been “revoked owing to the non-submission fingerprints.” “Those whose IDs have been cancelled due to the non-submission fingerprints can reapply. Please contact DCR directly if you need assistance.”

In 2018, when medical marijuana was legalized in California, fingerprint checks were required for applicants to receive an agent ID to work in cannabis.

This mandate was in effect until 2022 when the constitutional amendment on recreational marijuana came into force. Only owners of cannabis businesses were required to be fingerprinted. Employees had to attest that they did not commit disqualifying offences.

Missouri legislators have passed legislation in 2023 to require that all employees and contractors as well as owners, volunteers, and businessmen submit fingerprints to Missouri Highway Patrol to be checked for criminal records.

Cox explained that the FBI took up to October 2024 to give the division the statutory authority it needed to check state and federal criminal backgrounds.

Since February, this division has sent emails to agents who have been approved for agent ID cards between December 8, 20,22 and December 1 2024.

Shayna Arindt, section director for patient and application service at the DCR division, said during the DCR Out Loud July podcast that “our request process is based upon the date the ID card has been approved.” We have emailed a notice to all impacted agents, and the designated contact for each facility for summer.

According to the Missouri constitution, people who have a disqualifying felony cannot work in this industry. This includes any state or federal crime that is classified as a felony.

The division claims that a large part of its review is subjective.

Cox, a former reporter for The Independent, said previously: “Whatever is in the law will be applied to every individual case. This is not a simple checklist of offenses that can simply be determined.”

The constitution has a special exception that allows marijuana-related offenses to be expunged, as well as a set time frame for all other crimes.

If the applicant has not served any jail time and committed a violent offense over five years ago, they can apply for an agent ID. The law states, for felonies that are not violent, the applicant must have served no prison time and completed their parole or probation more than five years ago.

Each state does background checks in a different way because marijuana is illegal federally and the federal government has no regulatory authority over the industry.

Before the fingerprinting requirement went back into effect in December 2024, people could have their agent IDs approved and get to work within a 48-hour time period, said Christy Essex, who runs the largest Missouri-based cannabis staffing company, Se7en Staffing & Employment Solutions.

Now it only takes around 7-10 days. Essex says that the turnaround time would be quicker if more facilities were available.

Essex stated that despite the increased wait times, it was “definitely for the greater benefit to keep the employees, the facilities, and the entire industry safe.”

First published in Missouri Independent.

Side Pocket Images. Image courtesy Chris Wallis.