My emotional trip to a Missouri marijuana dispensary

Recently, I took a trip to Missouri with a couple of my friends. We decided that, while we were there, we would check out a marijuana dispensary now that marijuana was legal in the state. Going in, I was extremely shocked by everything that I saw.

We entered into a little room. On one side was a desk protected by glass where you showed the people working your picture ID. Once they scan your picture ID, they press a button that unlocked a door on the opposite side of the room. You entered into a waiting room where you sat and waited to be called. A salesperson would open a locked door to another room where all the products were. They only take one person at a time, unless you’re in a group that was going to be on one order (like mine).

The salesperson would bring you in and had a touchscreen where they could show you all the products and their prices. When you were finished picking out what you wanted, the salesperson would ring you up at a desk. Also, a security officer was on duty in the room, just in case.

While I was there, I felt many different emotions. I felt positive emotions like excitement to be experiencing the new dispensary. I felt safe and secure of where I was at and of what I was ordering. And I was happy to be their with my friends. However, I also felt heartbreak for Kansas and anger toward the politicians who refuse to listen to their constituents on the issue of marijuana (of which 69 percent want it to be legalized in some form).

These emotions were because, as I looked around, I saw how clean the place was. I saw how happy both the people working there were, as well as how happy the customers were to be able to buy their products with peace of mind. I saw how knowledgeable the staff was. I knew I was getting a safe, quality product from a safe, trustworthy source.

In Kansas, none of this is guaranteed. Most Kansans who use marijuana products, whether recreationally or for medical purposes, will not get that peace of mind coming home where they can be targeted by government officials all because Kansas politicians would rather be one of four states (Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina, and Wyoming) where marijuana is still fully illegal than listen to the vast majority of their constituents and legalize the drug.

Here, Kansans have to make a choice when it comes to marijuana. They either spend time and money travelling outside the state to purchase marijuana products somewhere they know will be safe and clean; they buy from a drug dealer where safety is not guaranteed; or they don’t use it even if it is medically the best thing they can do for their quality of life.

I love Kansas, and it’s why I started The Kansas Constitutional. I want what I believe is best for all Kansans. I envision a Kansas where someone who sells marijuana products to clients is not considered a “drug dealer,” but rather a respectable businessowner. I envision a Kansas where doctors can prescribe medical marijuana to their patients, rather than opioids. I envision a Kansas where people can buy weed, and not worry about whether the drug is laced with fentanyl. I envision a Kansas where our criminal justice system is more concerned about solving real crimes like rapes, murders, and thefts rather than going after nonviolent Kansans for having a plant. I truly believe that the legalization of marijuana, even if it’s just medically, would benefit Kansas greatly, and I hope to see it legalized this next legislative season.