Local cannabis dispensary still reviewing new ‘Show Me Your Age’ technology

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

It has been a little more than two weeks since the Missouri Office of Administration launched the Show Me Your Age verification tool, and a Missouri-based dispensary is still considering different verification programs.

Users can access Show Me Your Age through the MOA's website without creating an account. The site will prompt users to allow camera access to scan the barcode on the back of a driver's license. Users can also input a person's birthday to calculate someone's age.

The state plans for the program to be used by retailers of adult products like alcohol and cannabis to reduce the number of illegal and underage purchases. They add that the program does not save ID data to the user's phone or back to the state.

Missouri Petroleum & Convenience Association Executive Director Ron Leone told ABC 17 News that, because of the recent rollout, he's unsure whether many retailers have adopted the technology.

Cannabis dispensary Shangri La is reviewing Show Me Your Age along with other verification software. The company currently uses the VeriScan platform, which also features facial scan technology.

"It's identifying the visual to make sure you're not borrowing my ID or vice versa, that it's an actual person in the ID that's checking in," Shangri La Regional Manager Alec Orr said.

Orr added that accuracy is an important trait of verification software.

"If there's any scanning issues, they get eliminated quickly, that'll be something that'll be impactful for us to change over if we take that route," Orr said. "Consistency is a big thing that can work good for our customers as they walk into the door and have a good interaction."