JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri regulators have spent $1.3 million to
defend themselves in court against a wave of lawsuits filed by businesses that
were denied medical marijuana business licenses. Businesses that didn’t receive
permits from the state filed 853 appeals through the state’s Administrative
Hearing Commission, and 785 of those cases remained unresolved last week. State
spokeswoman Lisa Cox described the legal fees as a one-time cost associated with
getting Missouri’s program up and running, but critics said it is a reflection
of problems in the way permits were awarded. She said the state received 2,270
facility applications but only awarded 348 total licenses.
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