Nearly ten years later, the fight for medicinal marijuana licenses in Arkansas is still ongoing

Little Rock, Arkansas – Medical marijuana is a multimillion dollar industry in Arkansas.

Voters in Arkansas approved a bill in 2016 authorizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes, opening up to 40 dispensaries across the state. Still, not all of the permits have been issued almost ten years later.

Now that a Hot Springs dispensary has recently lost its license, people are curious as to when the program will be finished.

Green Springs Medical Dispensary’s license was canceled earlier this year for violating Arkansas law and marketing outdated goods.

Although the license has been rescinded by the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, the former owner has filed two lawsuits to challenge the ruling.

The board will not renew the license, even in the event that the owner wins those legal battles.

According to Scott Hardin, a representative for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission, “The Medical Marijuana Commission is currently under an active temporary restraining order that says you can’t issue any dispensary licenses at this time.”

An failed license applicant named Absolute Essence sued the state in 2022, claiming that the application procedure was unjust.

Since then, licenses cannot be awarded pending the outcome of this legal dispute.

When people see dozens of dispensaries in Oklahoma, they look to Arkansas and ask themselves, “Why not us?” “Why are thousands of dispensaries not possible for us?” stated Hardin.

Following the 2016 voter approval of a medicinal marijuana program, Arkansas may have as many as 40 dispensaries. Until something changes, there will only be 37 dispensaries as three of those licenses have not yet been issued due to these litigation.

A second court hearing between the state and Absolute Essence is scheduled for the end of August.