COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday accused Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft of thwarting an executive order to ban various forms of the cannabis compound THC over “hurt feelings" because Parson endorsed Ashcroft's GOP rival in the recent gubernatorial primary Ashcroft lost .
Ashcroft did not sign-off on Parson's August emergency executive order banning the sale of unregulated THC substances. Secretary of state spokesperson JoDonn Chaney said in an email that Ashcroft "had concerns the rule did not meet the legal requirements as defined in statute.” “He reached out to the executive branch to give them opportunity to explain how it met the requirements and they did not respond,” Chaney said.
Recreational and medical marijuana are both legal in Missouri, but Parson's executive order was aimed at particular THC compounds that aren't regulated, including Delta-8. Parson pursued the ban on unregulated THC because he said the products have sickened children who mistake the packaging for candy. “This is a personal matter for thousands of parents and grandparents across the state, and denying the rule-making is your attempt at retribution for my endorsement of another candidate,” Parson said in a letter to Ashcroft.
“Safety of kids is not a political issue. I am disgusted that you are making it one.” Parson pointed to bad blood between him and Ashcroft as the reason Ashcroft is standing in the way of the proposed executive order.
Parson endorse.