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Missouri
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Illinois
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| Qualifying conditions: | Missouri's constitution lists several specific qualifying conditions including: cancer, epilepsy, migrains, psychiatric disorders, HIV/AIDS and terminal illnesses. But the state also gives physicians the discretion to certify patients for a license even if their condition isn't listed in the law. | Illinois' list of qualifying conditions is more specific and much longer. Physicians don't have the discretion to approve a patient who doesn't have a condition that's on the list. |
| Patient-doctor relationship: | Doctors in Missouri do not have to demonstrate a long-term relationships with patient to certify they have a qualifying condition. Some say this could open the state up to doctor shopping. | Illinois requires physicians to prove they've seen a patient multiple times and are treating a condition that qualifies the patient to use medical cannabis. |
| Monitoring: | Missouri approves medical card users, but does not otherwise track or monitor people who access medical cannabis. | Illinois tracks and monitors people who access medical cannabis. |
| Home growing: | People can grow up to six plants per cardholder. That means if there are multiple cardholders in a household, Missourians can grow more than six plants in one home. | Illinoisans can grow up to five plants per household. Both states require plants to be in a secured room where children cannot access them. |
| Tax structures: | The state imposes a 4% tax on retail sales of marijuana. Revenue generated from that tax will cover health services for veterans. It will also help fund administrating the program that licenses and regulates the state's marijuana industry. | Illinois calls for a 7% per ounce cultivator's tax that is paid by the cultivation center. There's an additional 1% sales tax on pharmaceutical products. The money covers the costs of the program; excess funds go to crime prevention programs. |