Today’s increasing normalization and acceptance of cannabis in our culture tends to obscure the fact that only a decade ago, few prominent Missourians were willing to publicly support marijuana legalization or discuss how this plant-based medicine could more safely replace opioids for those with chronic pain. But the truth is, without those Missourians, Missouri’s successful cannabis reforms may never have come to fruition.
We lost one such courageous and compassionate Missourian last month with the passing of Adolphus Busch IV. While much of the coverage of Busch’s passing rightly talks about his transformative support for conservation efforts in Missouri, we’d be remiss not to mention his efforts to make medical cannabis a reality in Missouri.
In 2017, Mr. Busch not only provided financial assistance to a campaign that was in need of a lifeline, but he also personally sat down and wrote a letter to dozens of his friends, family and business associates discussing his support to place medical marijuana on the ballot in 2018 and urging them to do the same. Busch was opposed to marijuana for years until he found its medical benefits following several severe back injuries and surgeries. Following that, he was a passionate advocate for plant medicine and would urge anyone from famous baseball players to hunting partners to try using marijuana as an alternative to opioids.
Busch’s public support for medical marijuana legalization drew protest from some, including The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Others were skeptical of his belief that there was widespread support amongst Missouri’s conservative electorate for marijuana reform at a time when Missouri was still arresting tens of thousands of Missourians annually for cannabis possession.
But Adolphus Busch IV’s willingness to stand up for a public policy idea whose time had come did much to bring the issue to the forefront in the Show-Me-State. Roughly 13 months after publicly announcing his support, 66% of Missouri voters went to polls and legalized marijuana for medical purposes. The measure that Busch helped get on the ballot not only passed by an astounding 752,596 vote margin, it was also the most popular issue on Missouri’s ballot and eventually led to adult use legalization in 2022.
Today Busch’s impact on cannabis in Missouri is still being felt, most directly through his son Adolphus Busch V, CEO of Teal Cannabis. After graduating from Colorado State, Busch previously founded ABV Cannabis Co. in Colorado before bringing his experience and entrepreneurial spirit back to Missouri. Since day one in the Missouri industry, Adolphus Busch V has been a passionate advocate for the plant, its medical benefits, and the positive impact it can have on local communities. The success of Teal Cannabis led to Busch being named Executive of the Year by readers of Greenway Magazine at the 2025 Best of the Industry awards.
To honor Adolphus Busch IV and his compassionate support for cannabis and our industry, MoCannTrade will be making a small donation in his honor to his beloved charity, the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance. May his memory be a blessing to those that were fortunate enough to know Mr. Busch, as we continue to pray for Adolphus and his family.
