Arkansas was added to the list of states allowing the agriculture pattern which involved growing, using, and selling cannabis in November 2016. Since then Arkansas has been using marijuana for medical terms and other uses. All over the state, Arkansas medical marijuana-based products have been sold and consumed by setting up dispensaries.
It has been more than 4 years now and things have been running smoothly for the people of Arkansas. There have been jobs created, the result in medical terms have come positive. All these facts prove how successful the presence of Arkansas medical marijuana has been. The state is about to hit $1 million on expenses soon. They say that the industry has really performed better than they expected.
Before 2016 when marijuana was fully legalized to cultivate in Arkansas, the word about it did not have a good impact. Many citizens were against the idea of selling cannabis in the streets including its cultivation in the state. The process where Arkansas medical marijuana got to be legal was not an easy journey.
Even in 2012, many citizens were supporting the use of marijuana in the state and took the concept of legalization of Arkansas medical marijuana for usage and personal consumption to the November ballot. Unfortunately, it was defeated. Later in 2016, marijuana was legalized to consume and sell with 53.2 % votes. Sounds impressive, right? After a long wait and suffering the state had finally got to the point where marijuana was legal.
So, now you know how amazing the state of Arkansas has been reacting since marijuana was legalized over there.
Sales
In just 4 years, Arkansas medical marijuana has reportedly bought $338.5 million worth of marijuana. It’s true that marijuana is a natural way to heal the body and Arkansas has surely found their way to create a better and safer health situation for the people in their state. During the legalization of marijuana, around 40 dispensaries were allowed to be operated.
The first-ever dispensary in the state of Arkansas to open in August 2019 was named ReLeaf Center. Later, a number of 33 dispensaries were opened. The patients in the dispensaries always had a good number. Before the pandemic entered the world and struck everyone, the number of patients a single dispensary was receiving was nothing less than 200.
Talking about the Arkansas marijuana medical card, at least 76,000 people have been issued the card. This was a huge increase in the industry as no one has expected the number to reach up so quickly in just 4 years. Not to mention, the people of Arkansas have shown a fondness towards the products which include Arkansas medical marijuana. At least $303 million worth of products has been purchased by the people.
That simply means 45,200 pounds of marijuana have been utilized and consumed. The great fact is that the sales showed a positive number throughout the pandemic too. Talking about the numbers, out of all the dispensaries in the state of Arkansas, ReLeaf Center stayed as the top seller with a sale of a total of 5,372 pounds. Even the newest dispensary which opened just a month before had a sale of around 90 pounds.
Taxes
In terms of taxes, it has two types. One is regular and the other is a privilege. With 6.5% and 4% of taxes, the state has a total revenue of $38 million which goes straight into the government revenue fund and towards the establishment of a National Cancer Institute.
Yes, the revenue sounds appealing but there has been criticism about it.
“It’s pretty bad that we are made to pay three times more taxes than any other state in the whole nation that has legalized medical cannabis for use,” Melissa Fults, spokesperson for the Arkansas Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, interviewed for Arkansas Money & Politics in April. “It is unfair that the legislature is putting really high taxes on top of everything. Many of our patients are on fixed incomes and are too sick to work which makes it really difficult for them.”
Development
This simply explains how good the industry and the marijuana medical program have been doing. Even after so much development, the experts in this industry say that the industry is still pretty immature and it will take time for it to grow properly. They say the growth is dependent on the people.
The more they come for consumption and treatment, the more cultivation and production can be seen. All of these lead to revenue and are simply directly proportional to the growth of the industry which is expected to be seen in the upcoming years. Currently, the industry has single-handedly supported the state financially and in the upcoming year, better performance and revenue are expected both analytically and logically.
Results
The CEO of Green Springs Medical expresses his thoughts and feelings about the marijuana medical program and says how amazing he feels seeing the patients and the people of the state healthy and operated on. Often, patients come and tell him about how they have turned to CBD and THC and the benefits they have been receiving. They feel healthy and protected. The patients thank him and of course the legislature for the supply of cannabis.
Even after all these positive results many of the people in the state are neglected. This has mainly occurred when the supply shortage has taken place due to which the whole state stays in a rush including the doctors who somehow are stubborn enough not to look out for their patients like they are supposed to.
Dispensaries sell marijuana at a huge price which creates a problem for people to buy. If there is anyone who suffers the most from it, it’s the people with low incomes. No doctor listens to them and no dispensary is ready to sell them at a low cost. Many are so troubled sometimes that they have to cut down on their groceries to simply afford their medicines.
Conclusion
The legalization of marijuana has done wonders to the state, no doubt. The matter of revenue has shown impressive numbers and so has the tax but the fact that it has troubled the people living around can not be hidden.
Even though they have been relaxed and medically treated well with their medicinal use, the increased tax rate and increase in the price of marijuana have caused a lot of problems. Even with these problems, marijuana is still going to be consumed.
The state is still expecting the legislature to lower down the prices in order to be able to buy and consume marijuana with no additional problem. Moreover, the state is happy about the presence of marijuana and its consumption all over.