Green Thumb sues Arkansas over medical cannabis licensing

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Multistate marijuana company Green Thumb Industries’ division in Arkansas is suing the state for allowing a medical cannabis business there to receive a second MMJ dispensary license.

According to Law360, GTI Arkansas contends the language of Amendment 98 – which legalized MMJ sales in the state – stipulates that “no individual can own an interest in more than one dispensary,” which means the decision by the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission and the Department of Finance Administration is unconstitutional.

The company in question, Native Green, was told on July 1 that it had been selected for a license in Zone 5 of the state, even though the company already accepted and used another license to operate a dispensary in Zone 6.

GTI, which seeks possession of the Zone 5 license, had the next highest-scoring business application.

The lawsuit comes less than a week after five Arkansas companies with permits to grow medical cannabis sued to stop three more cultivation licenses from being issued.

That suit claims the three licenses that were issued in June violate language in the law that stipulated new licenses would be granted only if the existing growers couldn’t meet dispensary demand.