Medical Marijuana Commission narrowly votes down additional dispensary license, eyes amendment to reciprocity law October 1, 2020 By Griffin Coop The state Medical Marijuana Commission considered licensing a fifth dispensary in Zone 6 at its meeting Tuesday but decided against it in a 3-2 vote. Zone 6, which is made up of eight counties between Pulaski County and the Oklahoma border, has four dispensaries. The commission, which meets online due to the coronavirus pandemic, briefly discussed adding a new dispensary because customer demand has been high. Green Remedies of Hot Springs would have received the new license. Operating in Zone 6 are Green Springs Medical and Suite 443 in Hot Springs, Hensley Wellness Center in Hensley and Custom Cannabis in Alexander. Suite 443 and Green Springs were the first two dispensaries to open in the state; Green Springs has sold more than 3,000 pounds of medical marijuana, more than any other dispensary in the state. Before the vote, the commissioners compared sales, number of patients and number of dispensaries in zones across the state. “Sounds like there is much more need in Zone 6 based on that information,” commission Chairwoman Dr. Rhonda Henry-Tillman said before the vote. Commissioner Justin Smith, who made the motion in favor of the additional license, said there was “obvious” need. “It makes sense to me to issue the license,” he said. Henry-Tillman and Smith voted to license Green Remedies. Commissioners Travis Story, J.P. Mobley and Kevin Russell voted against issuing the new license. There are 29 dispensaries operating in Arkansas, and eight more are working toward opening, according to commission spokesman Scott Hardin. He said in a Wednesday news release that Arkansans had spent $154 million to buy 24,067 pounds of medical marijuana since May 2019. Green Springs, which opened May 12, 2019, has sold 3,191.45 pounds. The Releaf Center in Bentonville, which opened Aug. 7, 2019, has sold 2,693.36; the third-highest seller is Acanza, which has sold 1,821.92 pounds since it opened Sept. 14, 2019. The most recently opened dispensary is THF Investors in West Memphis, which opened Aug. 26. TOTAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA SALES THROUGH SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 Since Suite 443 (Hot Springs) first opened on Friday, May 10, the company sold 1,414.88 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Green Springs Medical (Hot Springs) first opened on Sunday, May 12, the company sold 3,191.45 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Arkansas Natural Products (Clinton) first opened on Thursday, June 20, the company sold 490.58 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Greenlight Dispensary (Helena) first opened on Thursday, June 27, the company sold 469.89 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Hensley Wellness Center (Hensley) first opened on Tuesday, July 2, the company sold 1,487.47 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Fiddler’s Green (Mountain View) first opened on Thursday, July 11, the company sold 1,390.20 pounds of medical marijuana. Since the Releaf Center (Bentonville) first opened on Wednesday, August 7, the company sold 2,693.36 pounds of medical marijuana. Since The Source (Bentonville) first opened on Thursday, August 15, the company sold 1,690.74 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Acanza (Fayetteville) first opened on Saturday, September 14, the company sold 1,821.92 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Harvest (Conway) first opened on Friday, October 11, the company sold 1,587.99 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Purspirit Cannabis (Fayetteville) opened on Wednesday, November 20, the company sold 1,193.70 pounds of medical marijuana. Since NEA Full Spectrum (Brookland) opened on Monday, December 9, the company sold 1,199.65 pounds of medical marijuana. Since 420 Dispensary (Russellville) opened on Tuesday, December 17, the company sold 498.77 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Fort Cannabis (Fort Smith) opened on Wednesday, December 18, the company sold 1,001.39 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Red River Remedy (Texarkana) opened on Friday, January 10 (2020), the company sold 367.93 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Bloom Medicinals (Texarkana) opened on Wednesday, January 15 (2020), the company sold 114.74 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Plant Family Therapeutics (Mountain Home) opened on Monday, February 3 (2020), the company sold 1,028.66 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Little Rock House of Cannabis (Little Rock) opened on Friday, February 14 (2020), the company sold 268.32 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Herbology (Little Rock) opened on Wednesday, February 26 (2020), the company sold 222.65 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Custom Cannabis (Alexander) opened on Thursday, March 5 (2020), the company sold 310.20 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Natural Relief Dispensary (Sherwood) opened on March 17 (2020), the company sold 1,204.05 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Body and Mind Dispensary (formerly Comprehensive Care Group) opened on April 27 (2020), the company sold 99.14 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Delta Cannabis (West Memphis) opened on July 1 (2020), the company sold 150.81 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Arkansas Patient Services Company (Monticello) opened on July 4 (2020), the company sold 52.22 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Enlightened Cannabis for People, Arkadelphia opened on July 16 (2020), the company sold 26.84 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Enlightened Cannabis for People, Heber Springs opened on July 17 (2020), the company sold 37.39 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Enlightened Cannabis for People, Morrilton opened on August 3 (2020), the company sold 29.15 pounds of medical marijuana. Since Enlightened Cannabis for People, Clarksville opened on August 7 (2020), the company sold 15.11 pounds of medical marijuana. Since THF Investors Dispensary (West Memphis) opened on August 26 (2020), the company sold 7.88 pounds of medical marijuana. Combined, this is more than 24,067 pounds of medical marijuana and $154 million in total sales. After the vote, cannabis activist Megan Mirfield addressed the commission, saying out-of-state patients are able to apply for temporary cards in Arkansas that allow them to purchase more marijuana at Arkansas dispensaries than Arkansas patients are allowed to purchase. Purchases by Arkansas patients are limited to 2.5 ounces every 14 days. “It’s a silly little thing that was left out of the reciprocity law,” Mirfield said. Visiting qualifying patients, who are defined separately from qualifying patients in the amendment, are not held to the same purchasing limitations, Medical Marijuana Commission spokesman Scott Hardin said. “I think that definitely needs to be taken up with your legislators,” one commissioner said. “That’s not a good loophole.”
