Get a Medical Card

Cannabis in Arkansas

Sales of medical cannabis in Arkansas began in 2019, and there are currently 23,018 patients registered with the Arkansas Department of Health. While the state has approved 32 dispensary licenses and five cultivation licenses, only a handful of businesses are operational at this time.

Arkansas’ cannabis laws are considered to be some of the strictest in the country, and they aren’t expected to loosen in the near future.

Overview of Key Arkansas Cannabis Laws

Is medical cannabis allowed? Yes

Is adult-use cannabis allowed? No

Personal Laws

Cannabis has not been decriminalized in Arkansas. However, registered medical cannabis patients may purchase up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis from a licensed dispensary every 14 days.

Medical cannabis patients from other states who visit Arkansas can pay a $50 non-refundable fee to submit a visiting patient application. If the application is approved, the visiting patient can purchase medical cannabis from a licensed dispensary in the state for 30 days.

Personal Possession

Registered Patient or Caregiver Possession: Up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis

Personal Growing

Registered medical cannabis patients and caregivers are not allowed to grow cannabis.

Registered Patient or Caregiver Growing: None

Medical Cannabis Patient Qualification and Registry

Patients are required to register with the state’s medical cannabis program through the Arkansas Department of Health and renew their registry cards every year. Only patients who receive a completed Physician Written Certification for a qualifying condition may register for a Medical Marijuana ID card.

Qualifying medical conditions include:

  • Cancer
  • Glaucoma
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Hepatitis C
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
  • Tourette’s syndrome
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Severe arthritis
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Cachexia or wasting syndrome
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Intractable pain which is pain that has not responded to ordinary medications, treatment or surgical measures for more than six months
  • Severe nausea
  • Seizures including those characteristic of epilepsy
  • Severe and persistent muscle spasms including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis
  • Any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the Arkansas Department of Health

Business Laws

Vertical integration or “license stacking” is not required. However, no individual can own an interest in more than one dispensary and more than one cultivation facility.

Residency is required to apply for a cannabis business license in Arkansas. At least 60% of the people with an ownership interest in the business and the person who submits the license application must have been residents of Arkansas for the previous consecutive seven years.

Per the state’s cannabis regulations, at least 20 but no more than 40 dispensary licenses are allowed. The state issued 32 dispensary licenses at the start of the program. At least four but no more than eight cultivation licenses are allowed, and the state has issued five cultivation licenses so far.

Both licensed dispensaries and cultivators can grow cannabis as part of the state’s medical cannabis program. Licensed dispensaries may grow up to 50 cannabis plants while licensed cultivators can grow an unlimited number of plants. In addition, both licensed dispensaries and cultivators are allowed to manufacture cannabis products.

License Types

  1. Cultivation Licenses
  2. Dispensary Licenses

License Fees

Cultivation: $15,000 application fee (50% is returned if the application is rejected) and $100,000 licensing fee

Dispensary: $7,500 (50% is returned if the application is rejected) and $15,000 licensing fee

License Timeline

The state has completed its initial issuance of dispensary and cultivation licenses. It is not known when additional license applications will be accepted.

Testing

Testing is required in Arkansas.

Training

Arkansas does not require training for cannabis license holders.

Learn More about Cannabis in Arkansas and How to Work or Start a Business in the Arkansas Cannabis Industry

Leafy Green Agency offers a variety of certification seminars for people who want to start businesses, find jobs, get promotions, or invest in the cannabis industry in Arkansas and across the country. Follow the link to learn more about our educational seminars.

Sources and More Information