Cash from cannabis, Missouri voters head to the polls soon to decide if recreational marijuana users should pay higher taxes on weed, and who should benefit. In Kansas, the medical marijuana debate is all but dead again.

Kevin Hardy of the Kansas City Star and Washburn University’s Political Science Chair Bob Beatty join FOX4’s John Holt on this week’s episode of “4 The People.”

The business of recreational marijuana is big business in the Show-Me State. In February alone cannabis sales topped $71 million, according to the State of Missouri.

Counties and cities are allowed to collect a 3% tax on marijuana, if voters approve it.

In Kansas City, many Missouri cities hope voters will allow them to begin cashing in as soon as possible.

“A lot of these cities and counties, you might want to think about just how much of a cash influx they’ve had from the federal government with all this pandemic-relief aid. That money is drying up this year and next year. A lot of these local governments see this marijuana, they see a cash cow in the marijuana business. It’s a new revenue stream they can tax for the first time and hopefully make up some of those deficits that will form from the loss of the federal aid,” Hardy said.

So far there isn’t any real organized effort against the taxes.

There is also some confusion on whether the taxes can be stacked in cities like Kansas City in Jackson County, Missouri, if both the city and the county taxes pass. It will likely end up in court for judges to decide.

While Missouri moves toward taxing recreational marijuana, Kansas lawmakers can’t agree on a plan for medicinal marijuana.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen. There seems to be a disconnect between basically the people of Kansas on the issue and not just the legislature, but really the legislative leadership. Over the years, they just won’t even allow this to go to a full vote in the legislature because it probably would pass. It gets tabled year after year,” Beatty said.

Watch the full episode of this week’s “4 the People” in the video player at the top of the page.

FOX4 brings you 4 The People, with new episodes airing on FOX4 every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. and posted online at FOX4KC.com.