Best of KC 2024: Celebrating weed without worry another year into recreational legality

Show-Me Organics // Photo by Zach Bauman

Earlier this month, we published The Pitch’s annual Best of Kansas City issue. You can take a peek at the results of the readers’ poll here. The issue also included a list, compiled and written by our editorial staff, of some local people, places, and things that we thought clearly won 2024. We’ll be publishing these items online throughout November. 

Although it seems like it was just yesterday, recreational cannabis sales have been legalized in the state for almost two years now! Missourians have given the plant a warm welcome, topping $2.5 billion in sales, as of May, since medical cannabis sales were legalized in October 2020. Just last May, marijuana sales in the state reached $124 million, according to MoCannTrade.

It was a hard-fought battle for those on the forefront of bringing medical and recreational cannabis to the state, and now they can relish in the fruits of their labor. In turn, $370 million of cumulative sales tax revenue from the $2.5 billion dollars was generated for a good cause: expunging nonviolent marijuana-related criminal records and funding veterans’ healthcare.

While there have been some speed bumps and obstacles along the way that are (hopefully) getting resolved, it is safe to say that the Missouri cannabis market has satisfied expectations, creating nearly 20,000 jobs and delivering medicinal benefits to countless consumers across the state.