Missouri’s marijuana industry has flourished following voter approval of its recreational use in 2022. Missouri already ranks fifth in marijuana sales among states with adult-use programs, surpassing older markets like Colorado in sales. 

The industry is also not only being accepted, but embraced, among those in higher education. Close to home, St. Louis Community College-Meramec in Kirkwood now has one of the best horticultural programs in marijuana cultivation in Missouri.

One sign of its prominence came earlier this fall when the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club met at Meramec’s campus and marijuana growing was on the top of its agenda. The regional club covers five counties in Missouri and eight in Illinois.

A three-person panel at the club’s gathering in October explained it’s take on one of the fastest-growing crops and businesses in Missouri. Ryan Schepers, an assistant professor of horticulture at the community college, explained his focus on cannabis and its varied uses.

“As we move away from the stigmatization of this product, we see more and more curiosity as to what the different strains can do,” said Schepers. “And we get questions as to what kind of ailments can be treated with what kind of strains.”

With hands-on experience in urban agriculture, environmental control, biotechnology and invasive plant management, Schepers offers students valuable insights into the real-world applications of their studies at Meramec.

Panelist Brian Riegel, owner of Riegel Dairy Inc. and South Point Hemp Inc., has built a career at the intersection of traditional farming and the expanding hemp industry. Riegel said he was attracted to hemp, in part, because of his personal use of the product for pain management.

“Getting into this as a dairy farmer has been pretty amazing,” said Riegel. “What’s also amazing is to see the changes, and to get a handle on just what’s happened with marijuana over the past 10 years.”

At South Point Hemp, Riegel said he pursues high-quality standards with a vision to produce pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid products. He also seeks to support college research programs across the country, including collaborations with Saint Louis University, Washington University and St. Louis Community College-Meramec. 

Panelist Chris Chesley serves as a retail operations advisor at Proper Cannabis, which has a growing facility in Rock Hill. He is a cannabis industry leader with a track record in business development, regulatory compliance and government relations.

Cannabis Coursework

According to Meramec professor Schepers, the horticultural program at the community college is among the first in the state to offer a certificate of specialization in cannabis and hemp production. The certificate has the approval of the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

Among the certificate courses are Introduction to Cannabis, Cannabis and Hemp Cultivation, and Cannabis Extraction. The hands-on nature of the courses, along with hemp plants grown on site for use in lab classes, sets the learning program apart.

With almost 200 students in Meramec’s horticultural studies, the program awards more degrees annually in horticulture than all other two- and four-year schools in the state. 

Proper Cannabis’ Chesley applauded Meramec’s cannabis program.

“It’s great to see a certification program like this that shows this new industry is being taken seriously,” said Chesley. “And we need graduates who understand the terminology and understand the regulations.”

Chesley said cannabis is still a misunderstood product by many Missourians, and Americans in general. He added that cannabis is over-regulated and still under attack as a narcotic in some states, even where it’s legal.

Twenty-four states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana. Medical use is more accepted and marijuana for such use is allowed in 40 states and Washington, D.C., including 17 states where it was approved by voters. 

Despite voter approval, legislatures in those states continue to battle medical marijuana and are seeking to overturn the will of their voters. Reasons for the pushback are attributed to the belief that marijuana is a dangerous drug.

Many opponents note that the federal government continues to classify marijuana as a dangerous substance on par with opiates, heroin and LSD. Some legislatures seem intent on taxing marijuana out of business.

Cannabis Taxation

The panelists at Meramec praised Missouri for not going overboard in taxing what apparently is a popular product in the state. When taxes get prohibitive, it drives customers to the illicit market to get product, according to Chesley of Proper Cannabis and Riegel of South Point Hemp, 

Riegel advocates for sensible marijuana regulations, and opportunities for hemp growers and their businesses. He serves on the Missouri Hemp Trade Association Board, where he helps shape industry standards.

Chesley is president of the Occidental Group and has secured multiple dispensary licenses in Missouri. He has managed compliance and media relations, and overseen license sales. He is involved in advocacy and education, serving as a representative on the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association’s Dispensary Committee.

Chesley also has contributed to the drafting of Missouri’s adult-use cannabis legislation, and teaches cannabis fundamentals as an adjunct professor at Saint Louis University.

Prior to shifting into academia, Meramec’s Schepers worked at Bayer Crop Science as plant biologist. He has a bachelor of science degree from Cleveland State University in environmental science and a master’s degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in cellular and molecular biology.