Opinion ID: 1660802
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Constitutionality of Missouri Marihuana Statutes

Text: Appellant contends: The Missouri statutory scheme regarding marihuana violates defendant's rights under the due process and equal protection clauses of the Missouri and United States Constitutions. In 1971, the Missouri General Assembly adopted its version of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. Laws of Mo.1971, p. 237 et seq. The law classifies the substances subject to its control into five schedules. § 195.017, RSMo Supp.1973, V.A.M.S. Marihuana is included in Schedule I. § 195.017, subd. 2(4)(j), supra. Schedules I and II include the so-called hard drugs as well as marihuana. Insofar as this case is concerned, the punishment for the sale of all substances in Schedules I and II, including marihuana, are the same. § 195.200, subd. 1(4), not less than five years nor more than life imprisonment. Penalties for possession of not more than 35 grams of marihuana and for the delivery of not more than 25 grams for no remuneration differ from penalties that apply to other substances in Schedules I and II (§ 195.200, subd 1(1)), but those provisions are not here at issue. The so-called hallucinogenic, hypnotic, somnifacient and stimulating drugs are listed in Schedules III, IV and V. Illegal sale of such substances is punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary for from two to ten years, or by confinement in the county jail for a term of not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by both the fine and confinement. § 195.270, RSMo Supp.1973, V.A.M.S. The appellant's attack upon the constitutionality of this scheme is premised as follows: Scientists are now in virtually unanimous agreement that marihuana has fundamendally different effects than heroin, opium, morphine and other so-called `hard drugs.' The scientific community has found that marihuana is a non-addictive intoxicant or hallucinogen, having far fewer adverse effects than the so-called `depressant or stimulant drugs' such as amphetamines and barbiturates.