By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

WITH Prime Minister Minnis’ recent stance, supporting legalising and decriminalising marijuana in The Bahamas, medicinal marijuana and its benefits to both patients and providers should also be tabled.

The state of Missouri offers an excellent model on how medicinal marijuana can be beneficial to numerous portions of society.

Interest in medical marijuana use has far exceeded expectations only five months into Missouri’s new programme.

Missouri issued close to 22,000 medical marijuana cards since July 4, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Researchers with the University of Missouri’s Economic and Policy Analysis Research Center previously estimated that the state wouldn’t reach that many patients until 2021.

“We have always predicted that the numbers would be far larger than the MU Economics study predicted,” said Dan Viets, who leads the Missouri Cannabis Industry Association.

Missouri voters in 2018 legalised medical marijuana in the state. Patients with cancer, HIV, epilepsy and other conditions can apply for state-issued medical marijuana cards with a doctor’s approval.

We have numerous Bahamians who suffer the ravages of the aforementioned diseases, and should have the option of medicinal marijuana as a form of treatment.

The Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association estimates that there could be at least 122,000 medical marijuana patients by the end of 2022.

Spokesman Jack Cardetti says that estimate is based on trends in states such as Colorado, where 2 per cent to 3 per cent of the population received cards after medical marijuana was approved.

The state health department plans to start awarding licences for businesses to grow, dispense and make marijuana-infused products by January.

Nearly 700 groups filed a total of 2,163 marijuana businesses applications in Missouri. The state will issue only 60 licenses to grow pot, 86 to make marijuana-infused products and 192 to open dispensaries.

Now, for all the naysayers against medicinal marijuana, legalisation and decriminalisation and the subsequent benefits.

For those who fear a widespread abuse of marijuana by the populous, if it is legalised, decriminalised and used medicinally, a recent University of Missouri study found that there likely won’t be enough demand to support 60 marijuana farms in the first three years of the programme.

However Cardetti said an abundance of cannabis growers will ensure patient access and spur competition.

“We think that’s good for patients, and we think that’s good for the industry,” Cardetti said.

I think a model like this, in regards to legalising medical marijuana, should be taken into account by the present administration, as it could be beneficial to Bahamians on multiple groundbreaking levels.