State marijuana tax collections decline 7% through first seven months of year August 3, 2022 By Griffin Coop This year’s medical marijuana sales tax collections are down about 7% compared to last year, according to data from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. The state has collected $18.4 million so far this year, down from $19.8 through the first seven months of 2021, according to department. Last month, the state collected $2.6 million, which was down from $2.9 million during the same month a year ago. Medical marijuana patients in Arkansas purchase about $750,000 worth of marijuana at the state’s 38 dispensaries every day, according to Scott Hardin, spokesman for the state Department of Finance and Administration and the state Medical Marijuana Commission. The state has 88,000 approved patients, he said. Patients pay a 6.5% sales tax and a 4% privilege tax on each purchase. Dispensaries pay a 4% privilege tax on purchases from cultivators. Sales tax collections typically indicate sales that occurred during the previous month because of reporting timelines, Hardin said.
