The post Arkansas Will Start Licensing Medical Marijuana Growers This Week appeared first on High Times.
The state of Arkansas passed comprehensive medical cannabis legalization in 2016, after voters approved Amendment 98. Over the past year, the state has been rolling out its regulatory policy and reviewing applications from prospective growers and retailers. Already, the Arkansas Department of Health has approved 4,116 applications for patients with qualifying conditions. With registered patients ready, Arkansas will start licensing medical marijuana growers this week. But unusual legal hurdles could pose challenges for the state’s young medical cannabis program.
Arkansas Will Start Licensing Medical Marijuana Growers This Week
Today, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission is slated to announce the winners of the first round of applications to grow cannabis. According to reports, the state has approved applications for five growing centers. These groups will be the first to legally grow medical cannabis in Arkansas.
After the initial approval of growing operations, the commission will begin reviewing applications for retailers. By May, Arkansas officials expect to have approved over 30 dispensaries, said a spokesperson for the state Department of Finance and Administration.
All of this means that by early summer, qualifying patients will finally be able to legally purchase medical marijuana in Arkansas. After a year of debates about implementing the program, growers and retailers are now jockeying for position. But not everyone can make the cut, leading to concerns that rejected applicants could sue the state over its decision.
Arkansas Expects Legal Challenges From Rejected Growers
The five growers the state will approve tomorrow represent just a fraction of the applications submitted to the state. According the