Arkansas Received a Storm of Last-Minute Applications

Hundreds of last-minute applications poured in for hopeful Arkansas medical cannabis businesses on September 18.

Around 300 applications and hundreds of thousands of dollars in application fees were received before the afternoon’s deadline on September 18. Government clerks were overwhelmed, creating a three-hour wait for applicants. The application period began in June, but it took six weeks for the first applications to come in. State officials said they expected a rush of last minute applications.

According to Department of Finance and Administration spokesman Scott Hardin, a third of the 1,000-page applications were for cannabis cultivation. The fee for a cannabis cultivation license in Arkansas is $15,000, and a distribution license is $7,000. Those who are denied a license will have half their money refunded.

According to Haradin, there is no set timetable from the state for applications to be approved or medical cannabis to be distributed. The commission is expected to approve five cultivation licenses and up to 32 dispensary licenses.

So far, 1,200 people have been approved for medical cannabis use by the state’s Medical Marijuana Commission. State officials estimated over 20,000 patients would apply for medical cannabis access. Cards will be distributes 30 days before cannabis is available in Arkansas.

Medical cannabis was legalized last November, although the ballot issue was not embraced in almost half of the counties.

The law allows for counties to allow or deny cannabis operations, similar to counties outlawing liquor sales. Cultivators must grow at least 3,000 feet from churches, schools and daycare facilities, while dispensaries must located at least 1,500 feet away. Consumers must also be ages 21 or older.

“There have been some communities that have expressed angst about there being a marijuana facility in their community. It’s only fair to give them a chance to opt out,” said Jerry Cox, the president of the Arkansas Family Council. “We have wet and dry counties. Why shouldn’t it be the same for marijuana?”