014: Inside Missouri’s Cannabis Industry with Dr. Mimi Vo

In November of 2018, Missouri voted to legalize medical use of cannabis, making them the 33rd state to do so. As the state builds momentum toward adult use, a number of interesting things are happening that prove how different just every path to legalization is.

Today’s guest is Internist Mimi Vo. Mimi graduated from medical school at the age of 23, and discovered that there was a massive educational gap when it came to the potential use of cannabis.

Now, in addition to practicing medicine in St. Louis as the CEO of Vo Medical Clinic, she’s also one half of YEN-ology, an organization representing healthcare and patient rights for cannabis patients, and the Head of Healthcare Education and Training at the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association. The St. Louis Business Journal also named her one of the most influential businesswomen of 2019.

Today, Mimi joins the podcast to tell the story of her own awakening to the medical potential of cannabis, the promising research she’s seen in medical cannabis, and how the coronavirus crisis is impacting cannabis business owners on both sides of the industry at this time.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• How Mimi discovered the potential of medical cannabis - and used data, not stories, to change her strict father’s perception of cannabis.
• Why cannabis is essentially apolitical in Missouri - and why rural communities actively want cannabis businesses to open there.
• How the COVID-19 crisis changed the developing cannabis industry in Missouri - and the frustrations Mimi has faced as a medical practitioner.
• Why attempts to keep the global economy moving could negatively impact cannabis prohibitions - and the unique challenges for businesses that can’t qualify for any federal aid money.
• How universities are finally formally integrating cannabis science, extraction, and dispensary procedures into their curriculum - and why it looks a lot like trade programs for wine and beer.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com

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