Arkansas

Navigating Arkansas State Laws:

Patients and Caregivers: Enrolling and Accessing Medical Cannabis

Medical Professionals: Procedures for recommending Medical Cannabis

Policymakers and Advocates: Actions Needed to Improve Laws for Patients

NOTICE: It can be challenging for patients to determine which businesses offering cannabis products are licensed and approved by the state. Review this list of medical cannabis retailers to find out where to purchase regulated cannabis in Arkansas. 

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Background on State Laws

In 2016, Arkansas first approved the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment (AMMA), which allowed for the creation of a medical cannabis program. Over the years rules and regulations surrounding medical cannabis in Arkansas have continued to be modified. Medical cannabis is legal in Arkansas; however, patients report limitations to access due to few dispensaries throughout the state in addition to high prices and taxes. Patients and caregivers in Arkansas may possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis. Patients visiting Arkansas may apply as out of state patients and pay a $50 non-refundable fee to use in state dispensaries for a 90 day period. Details on how these laws apply to patients and medical professionals can be found below.

Here is a breakdown of how Arkansas fared in ASA’s Annual State of the States Report, which evaluates the effectiveness of each state cannabis program from a patient perspective and assigns a grade using a rubric that reflects the key issues affecting patient access. Medical cannabis laws are constantly changing, ASA’s policy recommendations for Arkansas can be found below. For policy updates Sign Up here or Take Action!

Patient Rights and Civil Protections	84/100
Arrest Protection 25/25 Affirmative Defense 20/20 Parental Rights Protections 20/20 DUI Protections 0/10 Employment Protections 15/20 Explicit Privacy Standards 4/5
Access to Medicine	43/100
Authorizes Retail Access 8/10 Alternative Accessibility Methods 10/20 - Authorizes Delivery 10/10 - Authorizes Curbside Pickup 0/10 Personal Cultivation 0/15 Collective Gardening 0/5 Sufficient Number of Licensed Retailers 15/30 Reciprocity 10/20
Program Functionality	66/100
Legal Protections Within Reasonable Time Frame 16/20 Reasonable Possession Limits 10/10 Reasonable Purchase Limits 8/10 Telemedicine for Physician Certifications 15/15 Patient and Physician Representation in Program Decision Making 0/20 Reasonable Caregiver Standards 4/5 - Background Checks 2/2 - Number of Caregivers 2/3 Reasonable Physician Standards 3/5 Access to Administration Methods 10/10 - Allows Dried Flower 5/5 - Allows Edibles, Concentrates, and Other Forms 5/5 Provides Access to Minors on School Grounds 0/5
Affordability	43/100
Sales Tax Break for Patients and Caregivers 10/20 Covered by State Insurance or Health Aid 0/20 Reasonable Registration Fees 20/20 Financial Hardship Waivers or Discounts 13/20 Donation Program 0/10 Allows Multi-Year Registrations 0/10
Health and Social Equity	81/100
State Program Protections 25/25 Housing Protections 25/25 Access for Minors 9/10 Access in Underserved Areas 1/10 List of Qualifying Conditions is Exhaustive or All Inclusive 10/10 Allows Patients to Medicate Where they Choose 5/10 Organ Transplants 5/5 Ownership or Employment Restrictions 1/5
Consumer Protection and Product Safety	34/200
Cultivation Operations 7/50 Quality Management Systems 0/10 Staff Training 0/10 Standard Operating Procedures 0/8 - Facility and Equipment Sanitation 0/1 - Workplace Safety 0/1 - Storage 0/1 - Batch and Lot Tracking 0/1 - Security 0/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Water Management 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Pesticide Usage Limitations 2/2 Environmental Impact Regulations 0/2 Required Testing 4/8 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Microbials 0/1 - Aflatoxins 0/1 - Pesticides 1/1 - Heavy Metals 1/1 - Foreign Matter 0/1 - Moisture Content/ Water Activity 1/1 Packaging and Labeling 1/3 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Pesticides 0/1 Complaints, Adverse Event Reporting, and Recall Protocol 0/7 Manufacturing Operations 9/50 Quality Management Systems 0/10 Staff Training 0/10 Standard Operating Procedures 2/7 - Facility and Equipment Sanitation 1/1 - Workplace Safety 1/1 - Storage 0/1 - Batch and Lot Tracking 0/1 - Security 0/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Environmental Impact Regulations 0/3 Required Testing 6/10 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Microbials 1/1 - Aflatoxins 0/1 - Pesticides 1/1 - Heavy Metals 1/1 - Residual Solvents 1/1 - Homogeneity 0/1 - Foreign Matter 0/1 - Water Activity 1/1 Packaging and Labeling 1/5 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Ingredients 0/1 - Allergens 0/1 - Nutritional Content 0/1 Complaints, Adverse Event Reporting and Recall Protocol 0/5 Dispensary Operations 12/50 Staff Training 0/20 Standard Operating Procedures 0/7 - Facility Sanitation 0/1 - Workplace Safety 0/1 - Storage 0/1 - Batch and Lot Tracking 0/1 - Security 0/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Product Testing 5/10 - Product Meets Requirements Before Sale 5/5 - COA Disclosure 0/5 Complaints, Adverse Event Reporting and Recall Protocol 7/13 Laboratory Operations 6/50 Independent or Third-Party 0/5 Laboratory Sampling 5/5 Method Validation 0/4 Quality Management Systems 0/5 Staff Training 0/20 Standard Operating Procedures 1/7 - Facility and Equipment Sanitation 0/1 - Equipment and Instrument Calibration 0/1 - Workplace Safety 0/1 - Sample Tracking 1/1 - Security 0/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Result Reporting 0/4
Score Penalties	10/100
Gives Regulatory Preference to Adult Use 0/20 Classifies Cannabis as a Medicine of Last Resort 0/15 Administrative or Supply Problems 10/15 Requires Vertical Integration 0/10 Creates New Criminal Penalties for Patients 0/10 Limits Patients to a Single Retailer 0/10 No System for Adding Qualifying Conditions 0/10 Imposes Bans or Limits on THC 0/5 Imposes Bans or Limits on CBD 0/5
Excerpted from ASA's 2022 State of the States Report.