Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission

Related

• How to Get Your Medical Marijuana Card in Arkansas
• The Qualifying Conditions for a Medical Card in Arkansas
• The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Laws

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission was established through the Medical Marijuana Amendment, which voters approved on November 8, 2016.

Arkansas voters approved the Medical Marijuana Amendment with 53.2% of the vote, legalizing medical marijuana use for patients with qualifying medical conditions.

Under the amendment, registered qualifying patients may legally possess up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana, subject to the state’s medical marijuana laws and purchase limits.

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) administers the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program and began accepting medical marijuana card applications on July 1, 2017.

How to Get Medical Marijuana in Arkansas

Patients in Arkansas are required to have a recommendation from a licensed marijuana physician before they can start their application for an Arkansas medical marijuana card. After receiving your signed medical marijuana recommendation, you may submit your patient registration to the Arkansas Department of Health Services. Take note of the following application criteria: 

• Patients must be at least 18 years of age in order to apply. 
• Minor patients may designate a caregiver, such as one of their parents, to apply on their behalf. 
• You must be diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition recognized by the state of Arkansas (listed below). 
• Additionally, you must be an Arkansas resident with proof of residency. This may come in the form of a state-issued driver’s license or an Arkansas State ID Card.
• Along with your medical recommendation and your ID, you are required to pay a state application fee of $50. This can be done online through the application portal. 
• Members of the Arkansas National Guard and/or the United States military are not allowed to register for a medical marijuana card.

How do I Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Arkansas?

Signing up with Quick Med Cards takes only a couple of minutes.

To begin, you need to fill out our sign-up form. Here, you will tell us about your medical condition, and enter your current medication, ID, date of birth, mobile number, and location information. 

Following that, you may sign in with your Google account or register manually with your email address and password.

And you’re done! You can now book an appointment with a licensed marijuana doctor in Arkansas. Here, you can see our doctors’ availability hours and book the most convenient time slot for you.

As for the appointment itself, you and your doctor will have a conversation about why medical marijuana may be beneficial for your treatment, and they will make a decision based on your specific medical condition. Appointments usually take between 10 to 15 minutes. 

How to Qualify for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program

The following illnesses are the Arkansas medical marijuana qualifying conditions:

• Peripheral neuropathy
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Seizures including those that stem from epilepsy
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis
• Severe arthritis
• Severe nausea
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Ulcerative colitis (IBD)
• Any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the Department of Health

Arkansas MMC and Dispensary Rules

Having an Arkansas Medical Marijuana ID Card allows qualifying patients to purchase and possess medical marijuana under the state’s medical marijuana program. Patients and caregivers must follow Arkansas rules regarding purchases, possession, use, transportation, and where medical marijuana may be used.

• Purchase limits: A qualifying patient or designated caregiver may purchase up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana during a 14-day period. Each purchase counts toward the patient’s 14-day limit.
• Possession: A qualifying patient or designated caregiver with a valid registry identification card is protected under Arkansas’s medical marijuana law when possessing no more than 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana.
• Licensed dispensaries: Medical marijuana must be obtained through a licensed Arkansas dispensary to receive the protections provided under the state’s medical marijuana law.
• Home cultivation: Patients and caregivers cannot grow or cultivate their own medical marijuana. Medical marijuana must be obtained through the state’s licensed medical marijuana system.
• Transfers: Arkansas law allows a qualifying patient or designated caregiver to give or offer up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana to another qualifying patient or designated caregiver for medical use when nothing of value is exchanged.
• Concentrates and extracts: Arkansas medical marijuana rules specifically regulate cannabinoid concentrates and extracts, including requirements for labeling and testing. These products must be obtained through the authorized medical marijuana system.
• Controlled-substance classification: Under Arkansas law, marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols are classified as Schedule VI controlled substances, not Schedule I. This classification is separate from the rules that authorize qualifying patients and caregivers to use medical marijuana under the state’s medical marijuana program.
• Hashish: Hashish should not be described as a Schedule I substance under Arkansas law. Cannabis concentrates and extracts are regulated under the state’s medical marijuana rules when sold as medical marijuana products.
• Paraphernalia: Arkansas’s medical marijuana rules recognize marijuana paraphernalia used in connection with the administration of medical marijuana as part of medical use. Patients and caregivers should use paraphernalia only for lawful medical purposes and follow applicable restrictions.
• Use restrictions: Medical marijuana cannot be used in certain prohibited locations, including public places, school-related areas, correctional facilities, motor vehicles, and other locations restricted under Arkansas law.
• Transportation: Medical marijuana cannot be transported into Arkansas from another state. Arkansas law also restricts the transportation of more than 5 ounces of medical marijuana unless the person falls within an authorized exception.
• Uncontained marijuana in vehicles: Arkansas law prohibits possessing uncontained medical marijuana in a motor vehicle on a public highway or right-of-way when the marijuana is in a form readily usable through smoking and is readily accessible to the driver. Medical marijuana obtained from a licensed dispensary should remain in its required packaging in these circumstances.
• Smoking and vapor inhalation: Arkansas law places additional restrictions on smoking and vapor inhalation, including restrictions in public places, schools, public transportation, correctional facilities, and other specified locations.
• Medical use only: The protections provided by Arkansas’s medical marijuana program apply to lawful medical use by qualifying patients and designated caregivers. A medical marijuana card does not authorize conduct prohibited by state law.

Arkansas medical marijuana clinic

We can help you find a marijuana clinic near you and discover how to get an Arkansas Medical Marijuana Card. Learn all you need to know about what it means to be a medical marijuana patient in Arkansas. Read more for extensive information on obtaining a med card, and renewing it, as well as any other questions you might have.

Arkansas dispensaries

Arkansas presents an extensive number of medical marijuana providers, with the most populous areas including Little Rock, West Memphis, and Fayetteville. 

For a full account of the registered dispensaries in Arkansas, check out Potguide’s list of the state’s active licensed marijuana establishments. 

Key Takeaways

• A medical marijuana doctor in Arkansas must certify you for medicinal cannabis before you can register with the program.
• Having a qualifying condition is necessary to be eligible for medical marijuana in Arkansas.
• You can possess up to 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis from a licensed dispensary during a 14-day period with an Arkansas medical card.
• The state fee for the AR medical card is $50.