KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mitch Alexander had to pull over while driving Monday when he found out Missouri announced winners of licenses for its adult-use cannabis microbusiness lottery.
Alexander and his business partner were among the lucky 48 to receive a license.
“I pulled over and checked my phone and had a heart attack,” Alexander joked.
He currently works at ReLeaf Resources dispensary in Grandview, Missouri, but will open his own microbusiness under the name Tango Hotel Charlie, the phonetic spelling of THC which the psychoactive component of marijuana.
Alexander’s partner is a medically-discharged military veteran, so using the phonetic alphabet in the business name is an ode to his military connection.
Business owners had to meet one of five criteria to be eligible for a microbusiness license. The goal of the microbusiness program is to give marginalized business owners a fair chance in the industry.
Alexander’s partner’s status as a disabled veteran meets one of the eligibility criteria.
Having a non-violent marijuana conviction, living in an impoverished neighborhood, graduating from a unaccredited school and having a net worth of less than $250,000 are the other criteria.
“The micro license industry is the social equity clause of the recreational bill,” Alexander said.
Tango Hotel Charlie will be a wholesale facility that can grow and cultivate marijuana plants, then create products. But it can only sell the products to microbusiness dispensaries. There are 16 such dispensary licenses in the state and 32 wholesale license. Missouri plans to issue more micro licenses in 2024 and 2025.
“This is going to be more or less your mom and pop shops, your craft market,” Alexander said.
Wholesale microbusinesses will need to find locations, set up equipment and pass state inspections before they can begin cultivating plants.
Micro dispensaries have to wait for the micro wholesalers to create product before they can sell. Alexander predicts the public won’t be bale to buy from a microbusiness for about one year.
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