Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program (2024) Guide

What is the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program?

Qualifying medical marijuana patients must enroll in the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program to use medical cannabis legally in the state. A medical marijuana initiative, Amendment 98, also known as the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment (AMMA), which was in November 2016 approved by Arkansas voters, established the state's Medical Marijuana Program. The program is under the purview of the state's Department of Health (ADH).

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program permits qualifying cannabis patients who are minors or physically disabled to designate caregivers. Qualifying patients and designated caregivers must obtain medical marijuana registry identification cards (medical cannabis cards) to participate in this program. Enrollment in the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program by patients and caregivers is all year round.

How Old to Join Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program?

To enroll in the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program, a person must be at least 18 years old with a debilitating condition or a caregiver who is 21 years or older. Qualifying patients who are minors need the written consent of their parents or legal guardians, who must register as caregivers, to join the state's Medical Marijuana Program. Additionally, they must obtain documents from their physicians showing that they (physicians) have explained the risks and benefits of cannabis as minors to their (patients') parents or legal guardians. A registered cannabis patient whose registry identification card is still valid when they turn 18 may use it till it expires. Once it expires, they can initiate a new Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program registration as an adult.

Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program Qualifying Conditions in 2024

• Crohn's disease
• Severe nausea
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Glaucoma
• Cancer
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Hepatitis C
• Positive status for HIV/AIDS
• Fibromyalgia
• Ulcerative colitis
• Alzheimer's disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Cachexia
• Tourette's syndrome
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms
• Intractable pain (pain that fails to respond to ordinary treatment, medication, or surgical measures for over 6 months)
• Severe arthritis
• Seizures/epilepsy
• Any other ailment or condition approved by the Arkansas Department of Health

Arkansas permits residents to submit petitions to add new qualifying medical conditions to the state's Medical Marijuana Program, one condition per petition.

What Practitioners are Eligible to Recommend the Use of Medical Cannabis?

• Doctors of Medicine (MDs)
• Doctors of Osteopathy (DOs)

Must a Practitioner Obtain a License Before Issuing a Medical Card Recommendation?

Yes. Before a physician can recommend a qualifying patient for a medical marijuana registry identification card in Arkansas, they must have controlled substances licenses on file with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Do Physicians Need to Manage Patients Before Recommending Them for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program?

Yes. Physicians must have bona fide practitioner-patient relationships with their patients and be in good standing to practice medicine in the state before recommending their patients for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program.

Do Physicians Have to Join the State’s Medical Marijuana Program/Registry to Recommend Medical Marijuana to Patients?

No. Physicians are not required to join the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program before they can recommend medical cannabis to qualifying patients in the state.

Can an Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program Practitioner Use Telemedicine for Patient Assessment?

Yes, but not for initial assessment/certification for medical marijuana. In Arkansas, a physician may only use telemedicine to recertify qualifying patients for medical cannabis treatments.

How to Find Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program Doctors

There is no official list of Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program physicians; the Department of Health does not recommend medical providers to patients for medical marijuana certifications. Qualifying patients must obtain certifications for medical cannabis from their current physicians.

How to Apply for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program

• A qualifying patient must book an in-person or telehealth appointment with a healthcare provider for medical assessment
• If the medical provider determines that the patient qualifies for medical cannabis treatment, a written physician certification will be issued to the patient
• The patient can submit an application online through the Arkansas Medical Marijuana System. Alternatively, they can submit a completed Patient Application Form with all required documents and proof of application payment by mail to the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program at:
  Arkansas Department of Health 4815 West Markham, Slot 50 Little Rock, AR 72205
• Applications for enrollment in the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program may take up to 14 days to process, and once approved, the ADH will mail patients' medical marijuana registry identification cards to them
• The ADH provides caregivers with information on how to join the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program.