Missouri medical marijuana firms face hiring snafu

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Medical cannabis companies in Missouri could be prevented from hiring employees because state regulators might not be able to access a national fingerprint database.

The FBI said it will not allow the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which licenses the state’s MMJ businesses, to access the agency’s database, The Kansas City Star reported.

According to the FBI, no Missouri law addresses the need for background checks for the state’s medical marijuana industry.

The Missouri Constitution requires the health department to verify that owners, officers, managers, contractors, employees and other staff of licensed MMJ operations have not committed a disqualifying felony, according to the newspaper.

The state’s conflict with the FBI came to light Wednesday during a hearing for a bill to remedy the situation. The measure was proposed by Republican Rep. Lane Roberts.

The Missouri health department has awarded almost 350 licenses to cultivate, test, manufacture and sell medical marijuana.

Of those licenses, 192 of them were for dispensaries.