Yes, medical marijuana is legal in Arkansas and has been since 2016. The state approved the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment (AMMA), allowing patients with qualifying medical conditions to purchase, possess, and consume Arkansas medical marijuana.

Interestingly enough, long before the state legalized MMJ, cities throughout AR passed legislation regarding marijuana crime enforcement, making it a low priority for officers.

While Arkansas medical marijuana is legal, the state has yet to permit recreational cannabis usage. There was a push to put the Arkansas Recreational Marijuana Initiative on the ballot in 2020, but the initiative didn’t get enough signatures. Thus, the state didn’t get the option to legalize adult-use cannabis this election season.

If the measure had been on the ballot, there was a good chance that voters would have legalized recreational cannabis for adults in Arkansas.

However, residents may see this initiative on the ballot this year, 2022.

In order to get medical marijuana in Arkansas, an eligible physician must diagnose you with a qualifying condition outlined by the state’s MMJ program. Below, we’ve listed the qualifying conditions for a medical card in Arkansas:

• ALS
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease 
• Fibromyalgia
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• HIV/AIDS
• Intractable pain, pain that hasn’t responded to ordinary treatments for more than six months
• Peripheral neuropathy
• PTSD
• Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy
• Severe arthritis
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Severe nausea
• Ulcerative colitis
• Any other medical condition or its treatment that the ADH approves

If your medical condition isn’t on this list but you feel as though you could benefit from MMJ, you can file a petition with the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) to receive access to medical cannabis.

To get your Arkansas medical card, you have to first meet with a physician that can diagnose you with a qualifying medical condition and give you a recommendation for MMJ. Once you have your medical recommendation, you’ll go to the ADH website and apply online. 

You’ll have to pay a $50 application fee, be at least 18 years of age, and show proof of AR residency.

Make sure you have all the proper documentation — written certification from a physician, identification — before registering. You’ll submit all of this to the state and hear back within a few weeks whether or not you’ve been approved for Arkansas medical marijuana.

An Arkansas medical card is going to cost you $50 for the application fee, on top of a separate fee for your doctor’s appointment. The appointment will range in cost depending on where you go and what they charge.

You will also have to pay a fee for your medical card renewal — and we can handle that here at Elevate Holistics! Our services offer a flat fee of $75 for Arkansas medical card renewals.

Find out more about Elevate’s AR renewals by clicking here.  

You can purchase medical marijuana from any Arkansas dispensary in the area. All you have to do is find a licensed dispensary that has the products you enjoy, show them your Arkansas medical card, and you’ll be all set to start buying.

No, in order to enter an Arkansas dispensary, you’ll need to have your state-issued medical card. Fortunately, you should get your card in the mail within 30 days of applying with the state, so you won’t have to wait too long.

According to Arkansas marijuana laws, patients and caregivers can purchase up to 2.5 ounces — or 70.87 grams — every two weeks from one Arkansas dispensary. You may find specific possession restrictions for certain “pain patients,” but this is up to the ADH’s discretion.

No, you cannot buy cannabis at a dispensary without a medical card. Arkansas marijuana laws outline that you must present your medical card upon purchase — and sometimes entering a state-approved dispensary. Thus, you will not be able to make a purchase without your Arkansas medical card.

Right now, the average medical marijuana cost in Arkansas is significantly higher than in the rest of the country. This does depend on where you purchase your cannabis from, but some places report selling grams — on average — for $20. Most other places in the US offer cannabis for about $10 a gram.

So, you may find yourself spending a bit more money than you thought when buying Arkansas medical marijuana.

No. Neither patients nor caregivers are permitted to cultivate cannabis in Arkansas. You can only purchase and consume cannabis products, not grow them. Any person caught cultivating cannabis will get charged with either simple a possession or a possession with an intent to deliver charge, depending on how much cannabis they grew. Just don’t do it.  

The medical marijuana caregivers laws for Arkansas are quite simple. You have to be at least 21 years old or be a parent to a minor patient and be an AR resident with proof of residency. If you’re a previous felon, member of the Arkansas National Guard, or United States Military, the medical marijuana caregiver laws for Arkansas prohibit you from becoming a caregiver.

If you qualify, you will complete the caregiver application through the ADH website. Just like patients, you’ll have to pay a $50 registry fee; you will also have to pay a small fee for a background check to ensure you’re clear. You will attach this completed background check to your application and wait for approval!

Yes, Arkansas does accept out-of-state MMJ cards. Patients with legitimate out-of-state recommendations can access medical cannabis in AR; however, they must fill out an Arkansas visiting patient form and provide proof of recommendation.

Because of the tricky federal laws surrounding medical cannabis, MMJ is not covered by insurance. However, you may be able to talk to your insurance provider about them covering your MMJ doctors’ appointments and related charges.

Yes, edibles in Arkansas are 100% legal! Patients are allowed to incorporate cannabis products into their foods and beverages at home, as well.