(Jefferson City) The Missouri Legislature has passed changes to the state’s new medical marijuana industry.

The bill would require Department of Health and Senior Services employees associated with licensing medical marijuana businesses to submit their fingerprints for criminal background checks.

Representative Ron Hicks of Dardenne Prairie says the department could also require fingerprints from medical marijuana business employees as part of the licensing or certification process.

The F.B.I. informed the state health department, which licenses and regulates the medical marijuana industry, that the department will not have access to its national fingerprint background check database.

Representative Lane Roberts of Joplin says his legislation would clear up that problem.

The bill, which is headed to the governor for his signature, would also ban medical marijuana edibles designed in the shape of a human, animal or fruit.

However, geometric shapes, would be allowed.

Missouri patients will hopefully be able to start buying medical marijuana products this summer.

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