LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Once again, Arkansas could have the chance to vote on expanding marijuana use in the Natural State.
Earlier this week, Attorney General Tim Griffin approved the ballot title for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024.
Arkansans had previously rejected recreational marijuana, two years ago. Now, there’s a new proposal to expand marijuana in the state that hopes to bring opposing sides to find common ground— protecting the medical program.
“We all sat down and said ‘OK what should the marijuana law in Arkansas look like,'” said Melissa Fults, Arkansas Cannabis Alliance Executive Director.
Big industry and small community organizations sat down to decide how to move forward with marijuana in the state.
“By the time we had our first meeting over with I think everybody realized we all want the same thing,” She added.
For Fults, that meant expanding the medical marijuana program.
The most recent amendment accepted by Attorney General Tim Griffin was the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024.
It revises several things from the original medical marijuana program that was passed in 2016.
Right now, there are less than two dozen illnesses that would allow a person to get a medical marijuana card. The new ballot would change that to any condition your caregiver feels would be remedied with medical cannabis.
The term “caregiver” would mean that not only could a doctor prescribe medical marijuana but also a nurse, pharmacist, or physician’s assistant.
For those that already have a medical card, instead of renewing every year, it would change to every three years. The $50 renewal fee would also be removed.
Something that was controversial in Arkansas’s last push to expand marijuana was whether or not patients could grow their own plants.
This ballot adds a growth option for patients and caregivers who are 21 and older. They can have up to seven marijuana plants.
Fults said that they plan to start gathering signatures in the next couple of weeks.
They must have more than 90,000 signatures by July 5 for this amendment to be considered for the November ballot.
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