Despite some setbacks in 2024, Arkansas’ medical marijuana program is seeing increased activity in terms of the number of registered patients.
In 2016, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment was given the thumbs up by state voters, with 53.17% supporting it. But it wasn’t until mid-May 2019 that medical marijuana became available, due to lawsuits and lawmakers fiddling with the Amendment. At that point, around 11,000 patients had an active ID card.
As at the end of June last year, there were 101,006 active medical marijuana ID cards in the state. By December 2028, that had risen to 108,957.
As at the end of June 2024, the most prevalent qualifying medical condition among cardholders was post-traumatic stress disorder (34.9%), followed by intractable pain, (29.0%) severe arthritis (11.5%), peripheral neuropathy (5.3%) and fibromyalgia (4.2%). There are currently a total of 18 qualifying conditions, and more can be added through a petition process.
The program has raked many millions into state coffers, with products subject to a 6.5% state sales tax plus a 4% privilege tax.
Last year there was an attempt to expand access to medical marijuana through a ballot initiative, but it also included provisions for legalizing marijuana possession for recreational use should federal law change. While it appeared on the November ballot, the state’s Supreme Court ruled it misleading due to the nature of its popular name and ballot title, and votes were not counted.
Under the state’s program, up to 40 dispensaries can be licensed, and these are the only sources patients can legally buy medicines from – and they are not permitted to home grow. Qualified registered patients are permitted to purchase up to 2.5 ounces from a dispensary within a 14-day period.
38 dispensaries were active as at the end of last year, meaning one dispensary for every 2,658 active cardholders. As for the remaining two licenses, the issuing of those has been subject to various legal action. There’s also some legal argey-bargey going on at the moment regarding the issuing of a cultivation license to a particular party.
The Arkansas Department of Health issues medical marijuana registry cards while the Alcohol and Beverage Control agency is responsible for the licensing of dispensaries.
Further information on the state’s program can be found here.
Despite some setbacks in 2024, Arkansas’ medical marijuana program is seeing increased activity in terms of the number of registered patients. Read More
