Arkansas

Last Updated April: 2022

Programs

Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016

Dispensaries

Arkansas currently has 33 dispensaries. A list of dispensaries is included here.

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission established 8 geographic Dispensary Zones to ensure that medical-marijuana businesses are spread evenly throughout the state. A map of Arkansas’ Medical Marijuana Dispensary Zones is included here.

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission will only issue 40 licenses. When it has been determined that new licenses are available or appropriate, the commission shall notify the public at large by legal notice that it will be accepting applications for a dispensary license. The commission will create application pools for dispensary licenses based on the eight (8) identified geographic zones to ensure that dispensaries are distributed equally through the state. A dispensary license will only be valid for the designated zone and cannot be used in another zone.

Medical Marijuana Program Fiscal Year Reports: link

Geography

Mississippi – Medical ONLY.
Tennessee – Low THC CBD ONLY.
Missouri – Medical ONLY.
Oklahoma – Medical ONLY.
Texas – Low THC CBD ONLY.
Louisiana – Medical ONLY.

Regulatory Agencies

Arkansas Department of Health – Medical Marijuana (patients and caregivers)
Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission (for licensing dispensaries and cultivation facilities)

Arkansas Banking Stats & Guidance

Credit Unions: 54

Banks: 84

Relationships with Marijuana-Related Businesses, Arkansas State Bank Department (November 29, 2016)

In conclusion, a financial institution choosing to establish a relationship with a marijuana-related business should be familiar with the Cole memos and FinCEN guidance. Such a relationship should be incorporated into an institution’s risk-management system. The Bank Department will provide updated guidance, as warranted, but particularly after the new administration takes office. All institutions must remain aware when considering a marijuana related business relationship that the new federal administration could change these policies at any time.

Arkansas State Bank Department – Relationships with Marijuana Related Businesses

Relationships with Marijuana-Related Businesses, Arkansas State Bank Department (July 18, 2017)

As you and your bank’s management team and Board of Directors continue discussions and determinations on what, if any, involvement your bank will conduct with a marijuana–related business, I want to encourage you to engage in thorough analysis, develop sound, documented plans and strategies and consult with external sources as much as possible.

Arkansas State Bank Department – Relationships with Marijuana Related Businesses

Medical Program Details

Medical marijuana patients are able to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana in a 14-day period.

Usable marijuana means the stalks, seeds, roots, dried leaves, flowers, oils, vapors, waxes, and other portions of the marijuana plant and any mixture or preparation thereof. Usable marijuana includes cannabinoid edibles, cannabinoid concentrates, and cannabinoid extracts.
Homegrow is not allowed.
Visiting patients are eligible to apply for an Arkansas Medical Marijuana card: link. Arkansas allows out-of-state patients access to the medical program for up to 90 days.
Telehealth services for medical marijuana recommendations are authorized.

Designated caregivers must be 21 or older. A designated caregiver may include:

A parent of a qualifying patient who is under the age of 18 who must register as a Designated Caregiver with the Department of Health.

A dispensary may only operate between the hours of 7:00am and 10:00pm. A dispensary may deliver medical marijuana to a qualified patient or designated caregiver between the hours of 9:00am and 7:00pm.

Medical marijuana patients, caregivers and physicians may petition to add a new condition to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana treatment: link.

Licensee Application Scoring

Each merit criterion will be worth a number of points announced by the commission in the notice of open application period.
A review panel comprised of members of the Medical Marijuana Commission shall evaluate the applications and award points for each merit criterion. The points shall be totaled for each application and the applications ranked from the highest total score to the lowest total score. The commission shall notify in writing each of the applicants of their respective score and their respective ranking among all applicants.
If the commission must break a tie in scoring among applicants, the following procedure shall be followed:
- Applicants with identical scores shall draw a number between one (1) and a number equal to the number of applicants with the identical score. Applicants will then repeat the drawing of numbers in the order determined by the first drawing. The tied applicants will be ranked according to the number pulled from the second drawing. The applicant who draws the number (1) will have the highest rank among the tied applicants.
  - Cultivation Facility Score Breakdown: link
  - Estimated Operations Report: link