Cannabis in Arkansas was outlawed in 1923, and possession of small amounts remains a misdemeanor crime. Medical use is legal per a ballot initiative passed in 2016, however.
Prohibition
Marijuana was criminalized in Arkansas in 1923; New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington also banned cannabis in that year.
Legal penalties
The possession of under four ounces of marijuana is a Class A misdemeanor under state law, carrying a fine of up to $2,500 and up to one years' imprisonment. For those with two existing convictions for possession, a third offense or above is treated as a Class D felony, and carries a punishment of a maximum of six years' imprisonment and a maximum $6,000 fine.
In 2012 the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act was put up for vote on the statewide ballot. The act would have allowed non-profit organizations to grow and sell medical cannabis and additionally permitted patients who live over five miles from a legal dispensary to cultivate a small number of plants on their own property. The act was defeated by a vote of 48.6% to 51.4%.
Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment (2016)
On November 8, 2016, Arkansas voters approved Issue 6 to legalize the medical use of cannabis. The initiative passed by a vote of 53%–47% as an amendment to the state constitution. It allows patients who obtain a doctor's recommendation to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis for the treatment of any of 12 qualifying medical conditions. It also requires that between 20 and 40 cannabis dispensaries and 4 to 8 cultivators be licensed by the state. No allowance was made for patients to cultivate at home. Licensed sales did not begin until May 2019 when the first dispensary opened in Hot Springs. The dispensary was one of 32 initially licensed by the state along with 5 cultivators.
Municipal reforms
In 2006, Eureka Springs residents voted 64%–36% to make enforcement of cannabis laws the lowest police priority. Fayetteville residents approved a similar initiative in 2008 by a 62–38 margin. However, a 2019 report by the Arkansas Justice Collective found that marijuana arrests actually increased by 44% in Fayetteville since the measure passed.
