Council set to decide whether dispensaries can sell later at drive-thru windows
The Springfield City Council will vote Monday on an ordinance that would allow licensed marijuana dispensaries to operate drive-thru sales until 1:30 a.m., an increase from the current citywide cutoff of 10 p.m.. The change, if adopted, would apply to all dispensaries unless council members amend the measure to require individual approvals or zoning reviews.
Proponents say extending hours would help regulated businesses compete with the illicit cannabis market. Nick Liaromatis, co-founder of local dispensary Terrabis, told council members that later legal sales are necessary to blunt illegal activity.
“Every single hour that we’re closed is an hour that the illicit market and criminals don’t have competition,”
Liaromatis also told the council he expects late-night demand regardless of the vote, arguing the choice is between transactions conducted through regulated, ID-checked channels and unregulated sales with fewer safeguards.
Arguments from both sides focus on competition, safety and neighborhood impacts
City leaders and residents raised questions about how later hours could affect neighborhoods near dispensaries. Councilman Craig Hosmer said his primary concern is traffic, lighting and people lingering in cars outside shops late at night.
“I think you’re going to have neighborhoods that are upset about the traffic, the lights, people, you know, sitting in their cars,”
As written, the proposal would change hours across the city. Hosmer said he expects fellow council members to consider an amendment that would require each dispensary to obtain planning and zoning approval — a conditional use permit — before being allowed to extend drive-thru hours.
- Supporters: Regulated businesses that say later hours reduce the illicit market and ensure ID checks.
- Opponents: Residents and some council members worried about traffic, loitering, and neighborhood quality of life.
- Compromise under consideration: Requiring planning and zoning review or individual council approval for extended hours.
State data cited but gaps remain about late-night choices
Council discussion referenced a state study on consumer purchase patterns. According to the study, licensed sellers accounted for about 93% of reported cannabis spending in Missouri. Among people who reported buying from illegal sellers, 62% cited lower prices as a reason, with convenience ranking second. The study did not, however, test whether extending legal hours would shift those buying choices.
That uncertainty underpins much of the debate. Business owners argue extended hours could increase the share of transactions handled by licensed retailers, improving safety and tax compliance. Critics say the city cannot assume later hours alone will reduce the illicit market and warn of unintended effects on residential streets.
Local enforcement and operational practices in focus
Terrabis officials said their in-store lobby would continue to close at 10 p.m. and that drive-thru operations would be designed to minimize loitering. "Lobby still closes at 10 ... there’s no loitering, and we’re proud to say that we turn a car in two minutes when it reaches our facility," Liaromatis said. If the ordinance passes citywide without additional permitting requirements, dispensaries could immediately seek to operate later drive-thru hours under the new framework.
| Item | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Drive-thru cutoff | 10 p.m. | 1:30 a.m. |
| State study: licensed market share | 93% | |
| Reason illegal purchases cited | 62% — lower prices |
How the council resolves the question of citywide change versus case-by-case permits will shape who controls late-night access: elected officials through permits and public hearings, or regulated businesses under standardized hours. That choice has consequences for municipal oversight, neighborhood livability and the ability of police and code enforcement to respond to complaints.
The council meeting is expected to include public comment from residents, business representatives and law enforcement officials. Whatever the outcome, Springfield will join other Missouri municipalities wrestling with the balance between a regulated cannabis market and neighborhood impacts as the state’s legal cannabis industry matures.
