An Arkansas medical marijuana doctor is either a Doctor of Medicine or a Doctor of Osteopathy. Only a physician in either field can recommend medical marijuana use in Arkansas. The state maintains no list of such healthcare providers; hence, patients are responsible for looking for their certifying or recommending physicians.
Yes. While a certification is not a prescription, obtaining a physician certification remains one of the requirements to use medical marijuana in Arkansas. To obtain a medical marijuana certification, you must visit an Arkansas medical marijuana doctor who will verify that you have a qualifying condition in accordance with the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act.
A medical doctor or osteopathic doctor licensed in the State of Arkansas, who has a controlled substance license with the United States (DEA) Drug Enforcement Administration and is in good standing to practice medicine in the state, can recommend medical marijuana use to a patient. Note that a bona fide physician-patient relationship must exist between the certifying physician and the patient for the recommendation to be considered valid.
The Arkansas Department of Health, which oversees the state's medical marijuana program, does not recommend physicians or maintain a list of medical marijuana doctors.
As there is no official list of medical marijuana doctors in the state, the Arkansas medical marijuana program advises patients to find physicians qualified to recommend medical marijuana by themselves. Patients may speak with their healthcare providers for Arkansas medical marijuana doctor recommendations.
Yes. An Arkansas medical marijuana doctor is allowed to complete medical marijuana recertifications in compliance with the Arkansas Medical Board rules for telehealth. However, the initial certification for a first-time application for inclusion in the state’s medical marijuana program must be completed during an in-person physical visit. Telemedicine appointments often have lower associated costs than in-person visits, including reduced transportation costs.
A medical marijuana doctor in Arkansas may not recommend more than 2.5 ounces to a patient (adult or minor) over a 14-day period.