JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri voters have approved medical marijuana, but
it remains unclear whether thousands of welfare recipients will lose benefits if
they opt for it.
The Missouri Department of Social Services told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the question remains under review, and offered no timeline for a decision.
Voters this month overwhelmingly approved Amendment 2, legalizing marijuana and
marijuana-infused products to help patients who suffer from several serious
illnesses.
A 2011 law resulted in a program to screen Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families program applicants for drug use. The program provides cash benefits to
about 25,000 recipients monthly.
Recipients are asked about drug use and some take drug tests. Those who fail to
show up for the test or do not complete it are ineligible for benefits for three
years.
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