Plain Jane - Missouri Now Requires Plain Packaging

New Restrictive Packaging

When Missouri voters passed the constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana last November, a provision of the law requires that labels and packaging for marijuana-related products, "shall not be made to be attractive to children." While the tobacco industry has had similar restrictions such as limited colors for decades, numerous studies has found it makes cigarettes less appealing to young people.

Missouri will become one of the few states that require plain packaging in the adult-use market. The other states include Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey. The new packaging requirements will go into effect on July 30th. The new restrictions says that marijuana dispensaries can not sell edible marijuana-infused edibles in shapes or packages that are attractive to children or that are easily confused with commercially sold candy. Penalties include fines up to $5,000 and loss of their business license.

When first proposed last year the restrictions called an uproar from the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association. Cannabis manufacturers have invested millions of dollar in packaging designs. The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulations published guidelines back in June. Some of the restrictions include packaging should be one primary color and can have up to two logos or symbols that be of a different color(s).

Canada has mandated plain packaging of cannabis products since the country legalized recreational cannabis in 2018.

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