Judge temporarily halts Arkansas medical marijuana licensing

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An Arkansas judge has temporarily stopped the state from issuing more medical marijuana licenses in response to a lawsuit filed by a cannabis firm whose MMJ dispensary license application was rejected by regulators.

Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen granted a temporary restraining order sought by Medicanna.

The Pine Bluff-based company sued the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission and two other state agencies after it was bypassed for a license to sell medical marijuana.

Medicanna contended in the complaint that the state was wrong in awarding a license to another company that received a lower score on its application.

The judge could decide whether to grant a preliminary injunction against the state at a March 3 hearing.

– Associated Press