Arkansas medical cannabis trade group creates physician locator

In an effort to help Arkansas medical marijuana businesses drum up patients, the state’s cannabis industry trade association has compiled an online map listing doctors in the state who are willing to write MMJ certifications.

The Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association created the map, which currently includes nine doctors, according to Fort Smith TV station KFSM.

An Arkansas cannabis advocate emphasized that the physicians on the list won’t write MMJ recommendations but merely will certify that a patient meets one or more of the state’s 18 qualifying conditions to use marijuana.

Arkansas officials have estimated that 20,000-40,000 patients will sign up for MMJ cards, which are expected to cost about $50.

Insufficient numbers of doctors willing to get involved with medical marijuana has hampered MMJ programs in other states, including New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Arkansas’ business license application process opened in June with slow results.

Through July 21, state regulators had approved 222 medical cannabis patient card applications, according to Little Rock broadcaster KATV.