Arkansas revokes medical cannabis dispensary license for first time

The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division has revoked a medical cannabis dispensary license for the first time.

The business, Green Springs Medical Marijuana Dispensary in Hot Springs, allegedly sold more than 1,800 expired products, the agency said in a news release.

Green Springs owner Dragan Vicentic told the Arkansas Advocate he will appeal the decision.

The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division (ABC) release noted that undercover agents discovered in October 2023 that expired products were still for sale after the store had received a verbal warning.

Green Springs received a fine as a result of two inspections.

Vicentic said there was an explanation and asked the fines to be reduced.

“I thought the fine amount would be reduced because of my satisfactory explanation, and the next thing I knew, the director asked for a revocation of the license, which I thought was very extreme,” Vicentic told the Advocate.

In addition to the expired products, the ABC alleged in its release that the dispensary had more than 50 violations on the books, including:

• Not maintaining sanitary processing areas.
• Not meeting inventory information requirements.
• Not maintaining accurate employee records.
• Not maintaining proper video surveillance.
• Not having commercial grade locks on its property.
• Not having proper signage.

Green Springs, which was the second dispensary to open in Arkansas in May 2019, will continue doing business until its appeal is heard and a decision rendered.

“A license to operate in the medical marijuana industry in Arkansas is a privilege not to be taken lightly,” said Trent Minner, head of the finance department’s regulatory division, told the Advocate.

“When state law is consistently disregarded, ABC has a duty to revoke the license.”

In the five years since Arkansas launched its medical cannabis program, dispensaries have totaled more than $1.1 billion in sales.