Craighead County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Craighead County?

Yes, it is legal in Craighead County. The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016 legalized the statewide medical use of marijuana, while its recreational use remains prohibited as of August 2023. According to this amendment, eight cultivation facilities are licensed by the Medical Marijuana Commission to cultivate, prepare, manufacture, process, package, sell, and deliver usable medical marijuana to a licensed dispensary. Licensed cultivators must comply with the licensing and operational rules developed by the Medical Marijuana Commission and Alcoholic Beverage Control Division, respectively.

Marijuana may only be cultivated in an enclosed, locked facility – a building, greenhouse, or other structure covered with a roof and solid walls. Facilities must meet applicable state and local electrical, fire, plumbing, and building regulations. Additionally, adequate lighting, alarm, and video surveillance systems must be installed to prevent unauthorized access. All licensed facilities are subject to inspection by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division before operation and biannually after that.

Cultivation facilities should establish a written Operations Plan covering the standard operating procedures for marijuana cultivation and information on chemicals utilized. Limitations on marijuana plants and seeds in a cultivation facility are not set to ensure that demands by qualifying patients as determined by the Commission with the assistance of the Arkansas Department of Health (DOH) are met.

Qualified patients and caregivers may not cultivate medical marijuana in their residences personally.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Craighead County?

A medical marijuana processor license is required from companies to manufacture medical marijuana in Craighead County legally. License is awarded by the Commission as long as applicants are qualified and acceptable.

As per Section 14 of the operational rules set by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division, all equipment to be used in the processing and manufacturing of medical marijuana must be food-grade and non-reactive to solvents. Microbes, molds, and mildew growth must be prevented by using easy-to-clean counters and surfaces. Medical marijuana products must not be attractive to minors, considering their shape, color, taste, and design.

Edibles may be produced using ingredients that meet the requirements for food products determined by the Food and Drug Administration and the Department. Each portion of marijuana-infused product must contain not more than 10 milligrams of active tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). If the edible cannot be divided into portions, the product must contain at most ten milligrams of active THC.

Products must be packaged in childproof containers and labeled according to the regulations set by the DOH. It must be sealed, traceable, and food-compliant.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Craighead County?

Yes, it is legal. Craighead County belongs to Zone 3 of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Dispensary Zones. As of August 2023, licensed dispensaries operate in Brookland and Jonesboro. Edibles, flowers, concentrates, tinctures, topicals, and vapes may be purchased from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, depending on the dispensary’s business hours.

Dispensary agents are tasked to verify the identity of a qualifying patient and caregiver. Through the Inventory Tracking System, they must verify that the qualifying patient or caregiver has a valid registry identification card and authorization from the DOH to purchase medical marijuana. The purchase limit is two and one-half ounces of usable medical marijuana every fourteen days.

After the transaction, dispensary agents are responsible for entering the following details into the Inventory Tracking System:

• Registry identification number of the dispensary and its agent
• Amount, form, strain, and purchase price of dispensed marijuana
• Details of qualifying patient or caregiver
• Date and time of transaction

Dispensaries are required to appoint a pharmacist consultant duly licensed by the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Craighead County?

Medical marijuana may be delivered in Craighead County and other counties of Arkansas. Per state laws and regulations, deliveries may only be done from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM to the registered residence of a qualifying patient or caregiver.

Two dispensary agents must man transport vehicles during deliveries – one remains inside the vehicle at all times. A delivery manifest must accompany each delivery, and agents cannot stray from the delivery route or make unnecessary stops. Delivery manifests are generated from the Inventory Tracking System and contain information such as the dispensary details, quantity of marijuana, time and date of delivery, and identity of the agents and transport vehicle.

At the time of delivery, the dispensary agent must confirm the individual accepting delivery is the same person who placed the order by scanning the registry identity card of the qualifying patient or caregiver. The patient or caregiver who placed the order must sign the delivery ticket to prove they received the ordered products.

Medical marijuana may not be delivered in a dormitory, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, or other commercial business.

How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Craighead County

Craighead County residents who need access to medical marijuana may apply to the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program online. Applicants must have an Arkansas driver’s license or state identification card, Physician Written Certification, and a $50.00 application fee. Minor patients must have a designated caregiver to help them purchase medical marijuana.

Applicants must visit a state-licensed medical provider to check their eligibility and issue a certification. Qualifying conditions for the program include Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cachexia or wasting syndrome, cancer, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, peripheral neuropathy, post-traumatic stress disorder, seizures, severe arthritis, severe muscle spasms, severe nausea, Tourette’s syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and untreatable intractable pain.

Applications will be processed for up to 14 days from the receipt of payment. Registry identification cards will be mailed on the next working day once the application is successful and the card is issued. An electronic copy of the card may be printed from the applicant’s online account.

For inquiries, contact the department at:

Arkansas Department of Health Medical Marijuana Section

*4815 W. Markham St., *

Slot 50 Little Rock, AR 72205

1-833-214-8619

(8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, from Monday to Friday, except holidays)

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Craighead County?

Craighead County executes the tax rates implemented by the state on medical marijuana purchases. As of August 2023, a 6.50% sales tax and 4.00% excise tax are paid for by users of medical marijuana in every transaction. Since opening the state’s first dispensary in 2019, sales have been reported to almost $1 billion statewide.

One contributing factor to the rising sales is the increasing number of registered patients in the state. Reports show Arkansas had 5,459 qualified patients with registry identification cards in 2018, significantly increasing to 85,192 in 2022. In Craighead County, qualified patients increased from nearly 338 in 2018 to 3,183 in 2022.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Craighead County

Crime rates related to marijuana in Craighead County varied after the statewide legalization of its medical use in 2016. As of August 2023, the recreational use of marijuana remains illegal.

Based on the reported data of the Craighead County Sheriff's Office on the FBI Crime Data Explorer, arrests for marijuana possession offenses decreased from 25 in 2015 to 15 in 2021. Meanwhile, data show that arrests for marijuana sales offenses increased from seven in 2015 to nine in 2021. Reported arrests from 2016 to 2020 are found below:

• Marijuana possession offenses: 18 in 2016, 31 in 2017, 15 in 2018, seven in 2019, and 10 in 2020.
• Marijuana sales offenses: 10 in 2016, 13 in 2017, 15 in 2018, four in 2019, and one in 2020.