When Missouri allowed the first dispensaries to begin selling marijuana earlier this month, Andrew McDowell was frustrated. Although he was happy for his community to finally have access to recreational weed, his Black-owned smoke shop in Raytown still can’t sell it. And he won’t know for months whether he’ll eventually be allowed. “We would have liked to be a part of that first push,” said McDowell, who co-owns Funky Skunk with his longtime business partner Roderick Pearson Jr. “Whenever we do get our opportunity, we’re going to definitely make a lot of noise and we’re going to shake some stuff up.” As the established marijuana industry cashes in on full legalization in Missouri, small-time players who want to break into the market are left in limbo. Black-owned mom-and-pop shops like McDowell’s funkyskunkkc have to wait until later this year before they can apply to compete in a pool for smaller micro-licenses in order to sell or grow recreational marijuana. Critics say the state...