We Trusted the System. Now We're Losing Our Business.

The story behind Missouri's hemp crackdown, big marijuana's influence, and why JellyLeaf is being forced to close.

We need to talk about what's happening in Missouri.

Not just what's happening to JellyLeaf, but what's happening to small businesses across our state.

Because what you're seeing right now is so much bigger than a few hemp stores closing.

We're talking about people's livelihoods. Family businesses. Employees losing jobs. Owners sitting on thousands of dollars in inventory they already paid for. Businesses being threatened with lawsuits and serious penalties.

And in the middle of it all are politicians, powerful industry groups, and a law that leaves small businesses like ours with very few options.

On Wednesday, November 11, 2026, both JellyLeaf locations in Blue Springs and Warrensburg will close.

Not because we failed.

Not because our customers stopped coming.

We're closing because Missouri passed a law that prevents us from continuing to operate the business we built.

And we think our customers deserve to know how we got here.

First, Let's Talk About What Missouri Actually Did.

Missouri passed House Bill 2641, which changes the rules for hemp-derived products.

Beginning November 12, many products that independent hemp businesses have been selling will be restricted to Missouri's licensed marijuana system.

That includes THCA flower, one of the products that helped build JellyLeaf.

Now here's where we have a serious problem.

Missouri already has a marijuana licensing system, but the licenses are limited. Hemp businesses can't simply fill out an application, meet the requirements, and continue selling the same products.

We don't have that option.

So while licensed marijuana dispensaries can continue operating, businesses like ours are being left out.

And we're supposed to somehow accept that?

We have invested our own money, built relationships with suppliers, purchased inventory, hired employees, and spent years creating a business.

We aren't asking to operate without rules.

We're asking why we weren't given a reasonable opportunity to follow new rules and stay in business.

Remember When We Thought Governor Kehoe Was on Our Side?

This is one of the most disappointing parts of the entire situation.

Back in 2024, many people in Missouri's hemp industry believed Mike Kehoe would be a friend to small businesses.

In fact, the Missouri Hemp Trade Association circulated a letter supporting him.

Hemp business owners publicly talked about their hopes that Kehoe would support reasonable regulations instead of shutting down the industry.

There was a belief that he understood what small businesses needed.

And that mattered.

These were real people who put their trust in someone they believed would listen.

Fast-forward to April 2026.

Missouri hemp businesses delivered approximately 10,000 handwritten letters asking Governor Kehoe to veto HB 2641.

Ten thousand letters.

From business owners, workers, farmers, and customers who were worried about losing their livelihoods.

And what happened?

Governor Kehoe signed HB 2641 into law on April 23, 2026.

In an interview following the signing, a representative of the Missouri Hemp Trade Association said Kehoe had promised to help the industry and had not followed through.

Governor Kehoe defended his decision by pointing to concerns about children accessing intoxicating products, the bill's bipartisan support, and the upcoming federal restrictions.

But for those of us who believed there would be a fair path forward, the outcome was devastating.

We believed Missouri could protect consumers without eliminating independent businesses.

Instead, we're now preparing to close our doors.

Now Let's Talk About Big Marijuana and Money.

A lot of customers probably don't realize that Missouri has two very different cannabis markets.

There are independent hemp businesses like JellyLeaf.

And then there are state-licensed marijuana businesses operating under Missouri's constitutional marijuana program.

The licensed marijuana industry has trade associations, lobbyists, and established relationships in Jefferson City.

One of those organizations is the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association, commonly known as MoCann.

MoCann represents businesses participating in Missouri's licensed marijuana industry.

And here's something we think everyone should know.

MoCann represents companies that compete with independent hemp retailers.

That doesn't automatically mean those companies have done anything wrong.

But it does mean their financial interests matter when they're involved in decisions that affect their competitors.

And their involvement hasn't been limited to simply expressing opinions about legislation.

A Competing Industry Helped Supply Evidence Against Hemp Stores.

This is where things become especially concerning to us.

In April 2026, the Missouri Independent reported that Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway's office had relied heavily on product-testing information gathered by MoCann.

According to the reporting, MoCann purchased products from hemp retailers, had them tested, and shared findings with the Attorney General's office.

MoCann claimed that many of those products were marijuana rather than legally compliant hemp.

The Attorney General subsequently sent cease-and-desist letters to 33 retailers.

Many of those businesses were identified in the MoCann report.

Think about what that means.

A trade association representing one side of the cannabis industry supplied evidence that helped trigger enforcement against businesses on the other side.

MoCann says its actions were about consumer safety and illegal products.

The Attorney General's office says it has a responsibility to enforce Missouri law.

But we believe it's completely reasonable to ask whether testing and complaints supplied by commercial competitors should receive additional independent scrutiny.

Who paid for the testing?

What testing methods were used?

Were businesses given a fair opportunity to challenge the findings?

And how much influence should an industry with a direct financial interest have in enforcement against its competitors?

Those are not unreasonable questions.

They're questions that deserve clear answers.

The Lobbyists and Political Influence Behind This Industry

There's another piece of this story that often gets overlooked.

Missouri's marijuana industry has professional lobbyists representing its interests in Jefferson City.

One prominent example is Steve Tilley, a former Missouri House speaker who has represented marijuana-industry businesses and MoCann.

That relationship was documented in KBIA's reporting on the hemp industry's political expectations in 2024.

Lobbying is legal. Businesses and industry associations have a right to advocate for legislation.

But we believe people should understand that large industry organizations have resources to hire experienced political advocates and maintain a presence in the Capitol.

Small businesses like ours don't have those same resources.

We're busy running our stores, paying our employees, ordering inventory, and helping customers.

When one industry has well-funded representation and another is made up of independent business owners fighting to survive, we believe the public should pay close attention to how the resulting laws affect competition.

Political influence and campaign spending deserve transparency.

But we also want to be clear: the existence of paid lobbyists or political contributions does not, by itself, prove bribery or corruption.

What concerns us is the possibility that the voices of independent businesses weren't given the same weight as those of established industry interests.

And Then Came the Attorney General's Crackdown.

While hemp businesses were trying to figure out their future, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway's office began taking enforcement action.

In November 2025, her office announced investigations into several hemp retailers.

In March 2026, the office announced cease-and-desist letters targeting 33 retailers.

Then, on November 4, just days before the new law's effective date, Hanaway announced four additional lawsuits against businesses accused of illegally selling marijuana products.

And she has indicated that more lawsuits are coming.

Imagine being a small-business owner and receiving a letter from the Attorney General demanding that you stop selling products you believed were lawful.

Imagine the legal bills.

The fear of losing your inventory.

The possibility of losing your entire business.

And the uncertainty of not knowing whether the products you've already purchased could expose you to legal consequences.

For many business owners, that kind of pressure is financially devastating even before a court decides whether the allegations are true.

There have been concerns among hemp retailers about product confiscation and inventory losses. We believe any reported seizure should be examined carefully, including whether it was supported by a warrant, court order, or other lawful authority.

Nobody should have their property taken without proper legal justification and due process.

And nobody should have to choose between protecting their livelihood and risking serious legal consequences.

What Makes This So Frustrating Is That We Believe in Regulation.

Let's get something straight.

We aren't against product testing.

We aren't against age restrictions.

We aren't against responsible packaging, labeling, or keeping unsafe products away from consumers.

We believe those things are important.

At JellyLeaf, we've built our business around lab-tested products, customer education, and transparency.

We weigh our flower fresh in front of our customers. We let people see and smell what they're purchasing. We explain products and answer questions.

We have never claimed that every business in the hemp industry operates responsibly.

If someone is selling contaminated products, misleading customers, or breaking the law, there should be accountability.

But why should responsible businesses lose their livelihoods because Missouri hasn't created an accessible licensing pathway for them?

Why couldn't Missouri regulate us instead of forcing us out?

That's the question we keep coming back to.

What About the 40,000 Businesses?

You may have heard the number 40,000 mentioned in discussions about Missouri's hemp law.

Here's where that number comes from.

Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services previously estimated that approximately 40,000 food establishments and smoke shops, along with 1,800 food manufacturers, could potentially be affected by restrictions on intoxicating hemp products.

The department also noted that most of those facilities were considered unlikely to require investigation.

So no, that doesn't mean 40,000 businesses have already closed or that all 40,000 will close.

But it shows just how broadly these changes could reach.

We're talking about more than specialty hemp shops.

Convenience stores, smoke shops, manufacturers, restaurants, and other businesses may need to change what they sell.

For some, hemp products are a small part of their revenue.

For others, those products are the reason their business exists.

For JellyLeaf, this law affects the very foundation of our business.

And we're far from the only ones facing that reality.

We Went to Court. We Hoped Someone Would Listen.

The Missouri Hemp Trade Association and other businesses challenged HB 2641 in federal court.

The lawsuit raised questions about whether Missouri's restrictions conflicted with federal law and whether portions of the legislation were constitutionally enforceable.

We hoped the court would provide relief before the law took effect.

But on November 4, 2026, the judge dismissed the case.

The request for a preliminary injunction was also denied as moot.

That left businesses like ours without the court protection we had hoped for.

And now, just days later, we're preparing to close.

We still believe the questions surrounding this law deserve attention.

But we also have to make decisions that protect our family, our employees, and everything we've worked for.

This Is What It Looks Like From the Other Side of the Counter.

When politicians talk about passing laws, they talk about regulations, enforcement, and public policy.

They don't always talk about what happens to the families who own the businesses affected.

They don't talk about the inventory sitting on shelves that someone already paid for.

They don't talk about the lease payments, utilities, payroll, taxes, and business loans that don't magically disappear when a law changes.

They don't talk about the employee who depends on that paycheck.

Or the husband and wife who have put everything they have into building something together.

That's us.

JellyLeaf isn't some giant corporation.

We're a locally owned, veteran- and woman-owned business.

We've worked incredibly hard to build something we could be proud of.

We've gotten to know our customers.

We've laughed with you, talked with you, helped you find products, and watched so many of you become familiar faces in our stores.

And now we're being forced to close those doors.

It's heartbreaking.

And yes, we're angry.

So Is This Corruption?

We know that's a word people are using, and we understand why.

When people see powerful industry organizations, paid lobbyists, competing businesses, aggressive enforcement actions, and legislation that leaves smaller competitors unable to operate, they naturally start asking questions.

We believe those questions are worth investigating.

But we also think it's important to separate documented facts from suspicions.

The reporting establishes that marijuana-industry representatives have lobbied Missouri officials, that MoCann supplied testing used in enforcement efforts, and that the new law creates major barriers for independent hemp retailers.

It does not, by itself, prove that anyone accepted bribes, illegally purchased votes, or committed criminal corruption.

What we are asking for is transparency, accountability, and an honest examination of who influenced these decisions and who benefits from them.

We believe the public deserves that much.

So Where Does JellyLeaf Go From Here?

For now, our last day of business at both locations will be Wednesday, November 11, 2026.

But we want everyone to know:

JELLYLEAF ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE.

Our website, www.jellyleafcannabis.com, will remain online.

We'll continue sharing updates, educating our community, and exploring every legal option available to us.

We don't know exactly what comes next.

We wish we did.

But we're not ready to give up on something we've worked so hard to build.

One Last Thing to Our Customers.

Thank you.

For every purchase.

Every recommendation.

Every conversation.

Every person who walked through our doors and gave a small, family-owned business a chance.

You've supported our family, our employees, and a dream that became a huge part of our lives.

And we want you to remember this:

We didn't fail.

You didn't fail us.

And we are not closing because we want to.

We believe Missouri could have found a better way to protect consumers while giving responsible small businesses a fair opportunity to operate.

We wish that had happened.

But no matter what happens next, nobody can take away the community we've built together.

They may be forcing us to close our doors, but they aren't taking away what we've built.

This isn't goodbye because we wanted it to be.

And we truly hope this isn't the end of JellyLeaf.

With love, frustration, and gratitude,

The JellyLeaf Team

Sources: KBIA: Burned by Parson, Missouri hemp industry bets on Kehoe — September 2024 reporting on the industry's expectations of Kehoe and marijuana-industry lobbying.

• ABC 17: Kehoe signs hemp regulation bill — Includes the MoHemp representative's

• comments about Kehoe's promise and the estimated number of affected businesses.

• Missouri Independent: Hemp stores dispute AG crackdown evidence — Investigates MoCann's testing and its relationship to enforcement.

• Missouri Independent: Attorney General promises more lawsuits — Covers the November enforcement actions and 40,000-facility estimate.

• Federal court order dismissing the HB 2641 challenge — The actual November 4 ruling.