Arkansas Supreme Court blasts failings of state medical marijuana regulators

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Arkansas Supreme Court justices had harsh criticism for the state’s medical marijuana regulators in both concurring and dissenting opinions in a recent lawsuit over an MMJ business license.

According to Arkansas Business, the justices blasted the state’s Medical Marijuana Commission for a variety of failures despite upholding the MMC’s decision to not grant a license to the company that brought suit, Eureka Green.

“We see one appeal after another that highlights the MMC’s shortcomings,” Justice Courtney Rae Hudson wrote in an opinion, adding that “we should not forget” allegations of bribery dating to 2018, when the Arkansas MMJ market launched.

According to Arkansas Business, the justices also:

  • Criticized the MMC for not updating its rules and protocols as per earlier legal rulings.
  • Found that regulators had fallen short on both the licensing process and industry rulemaking.

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Meanwhile, the MMC said Monday that medical marijuana sales in Arkansas topped $22 million in May, bringing sales totals for the calendar year to $112 million.

In 2021, Arkansas MMJ sales hit $265 million for the full year.