Missouri health officials are seeking nearly $900,000 to enforce an executive order signed by Governor Mike Parson (R) in August, which bans intoxicating hemp products in the state. This funding request, outlined in the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (HSS) annual budget, would support efforts to implement the governor’s directive by identifying and regulating "misbranded" hemp products.
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Though Parson’s executive order aims to crack down on the sale and distribution of hemp products with psychoactive effects, HSS has stated in a letter to the governor that it will not fully enforce large portions of the ban. Instead, the agency plans to focus on tracking and addressing products deemed misbranded. This selective enforcement aligns with feedback from Missouri's Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who had earlier rejected the executive order on legal grounds. Ashcroft argued that the emergency rules under the order did not comply with state law and pointed out that the alcohol division was not authorized to carry out inspections, leaving food inspectors responsible for ensuring compliance.
To manage enforcement, state officials have established a joint task force, and the requested funding will help bolster their efforts. HSS is asking for resources to hire two full-time public health environmental specialists at a salary of $125,000 each, and to contract five additional inspectors at a combined cost of $400,000. Two of these contract positions would be funded on a one-time basis for $150,000 to help establish the program. The agency believes that using contractors is more cost-effective, as it expects the market for these products to decline over time.
The total request of $877,000 is intended to help HSS monitor approximately 40,000 food establishments and smoke shops, as well as 1,800 food manufacturers that could be affected by the ban. However, the agency anticipates that most of these businesses will pose a low risk of needing investigation. With the proposed staff of seven, the department estimates that they could conduct between 2,900 and 3,500 site visits each year to ensure compliance with the ban.
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