Arkansas
CANNABIS DISPENSARY REGULATIONS FOR ARKANSAS
The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission is tasked with administering and regulating the issuance of licenses to operate medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation facilities.
The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission is presently receiving applications for medical marijuana processor and transporter licenses, and interested parties can access these applications on the commission’s website. Unlike cultivation and dispensary licenses, there is no deadline for submitting these applications. However, the number of cultivation and dispensary licenses permitted in the state has reached its maximum limit.
A cultivation license allows for the cultivation, preparation, manufacturing, processing, packaging, sales and delivery of marijuana to licensed dispensaries. A dispensary license allows the business to acquire, possess, manufacture, process, prepare, deliver, transfer, transport, supply and dispense medical marijuana to qualifying patients and caregivers. – with a maximum of 40 dispensary licenses awarded within the “8 dispensary zones.” A processor license allows an entity to acquire, possess, manufacture, process, prepare, deliver, transport, and supply marijuana to a licensed dispensary or cultivation facility. A transporter license allows an entity to acquire, possess, deliver, transfer, transport, or distribute marijuana to a licensed dispensary, cultivation facility, or processor.
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CANNABIS LEGALIZATION HISTORY IN ARKANSAS
Arkansas has a limited history with cannabis legalization. In 2016, voters approved a ballot measure legalizing medical cannabis in the state, which allows qualified patients to purchase and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis every two weeks.
Since the passage of the medical cannabis program, the state has faced challenges in implementing the program, including legal disputes over licensing and concerns about a lack of access for patients in rural areas. However, the program has continued to expand, with more than 30,000 patients enrolled and dozens of dispensaries open across the state.
While there have been some efforts to legalize recreational cannabis in Arkansas, these efforts have so far been unsuccessful. The state remains relatively conservative in its approach to drug policy, and possession of cannabis remains illegal in most circumstances.
Overall, Arkansas’ cannabis policy remains relatively limited, with only medical cannabis currently legal in the state. While the program has faced challenges in implementation, it has continued to grow and expand, suggesting that the state’s approach to cannabis policy may continue to evolve in the years ahead.