By Ramone Tarnaski

Rewriting Of 'Medical Marijuana For Sale For The First Time In Missouri State History'

Medical marijuana will be sold this weekend for the first time in the state's history and is also available at first pharmacies in St. Louis County, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The N. Bliss branches are in Ellisville and Manchester, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. This comes less than a year after Missouri passed a constitutional amendment allowing medical cannabis. The measure was approved by nearly two-thirds of voters, and Missouri has approved 65,000 patients so far, with another 12,500 awaiting approval.

The law allows qualified patients to buy up to four ounces per month, although stores are free to set lower limits to ensure access to as many patients as they want. Certified self-growers are allowed to own six plants, and nearly 20,000 Missourians have been admitted as self-growers so far. Overall, Missouri ranks as the fastest-growing market among the 21 states importing medical marijuana, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.

Dozens of patients queued outside a pharmacy in Manchester over the weekend, and medical marijuana is now available for those with a doctor's recommendation or prescription for a specific condition such as cancer, glaucoma, or multiple sclerosis. Patients there are "beside themselves to finally get the drug they've needed and deserved for so long," said N. Bliss Bradford-Goette, CEO.

The N. Bliss pharmacy is the first in Missouri, and several more will follow in the coming days and weeks. Authorities said the expected economic impact on the Missouri industry would include sales of about $1.5 million and sales of medical marijuana of $2.8 million to $3.2 million annually.