ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – The Board of Aldermen has introduced a new bill that would allow marijuana dispensaries to stay open four hours longer. Currently, stores are forced to close at 8 p.m.
Board Bill 15 would extend operations from 8 a.m. until midnight Sunday through Saturday.
“There’s always people at our front door wanting to come in after that and we unfortunately have to say no and turn them down due to the city rule,” said Christopher Leisure of Greenlight Marijuana Dispensary.
Alderman Rasheen Aldridge introduced the piece of legislation on Friday that would allow dispensaries to shut down at midnight.
“If you’re able to get alcohol that late, why shouldn’t you be able to get weed that late,” said resident Lucas Arendt.
“For me, it was truly about how do we bring in more revenue for the St. Louis area if we potentially lose our earnings tax,” said Aldridge.
“We would love it. This is the only store that we have that closes at 8 p.m. every night,” said Leisure.
Greenlight Dispensary has 20 locations outside of the city and all of them close at later times.
“We’d love to stay open later and keep that tax revenue here in the city,” Leisure said.
“I think it’s a bad idea,” said resident Romeo Dahn. “It should close at 10:30, 11.”
“You should be able to get it anytime you want to. It’s legal,” Jasmine Morgan said.
St. Louis City referenced looking at Kansas City, Franklin County and Warrenton as examples for the extension. Their dispensaries shut down at 10 p.m.
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