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How to Add New Conditions to Arkansas' Medical Marijuana Program
Is Medical Marijuana Legal in Arkansas?
In November of 2016, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, also known as Issue 6, was approved in Arkansas for the legalization of medical marijuana.
The amendment established a program for growing, purchasing, and distributing medical cannabis while providing legal protections for patients and physicians.
The Arkansas Medical Marijuana amendment requires that in order to become a qualified medical marijuana patient, a person must be suffering with a qualifying condition and have a written certification from a certified doctor.
Currently, Arkansas has approved 18 qualifying conditions for medical marijuana treatment. Luckily, the state allows individuals to petition new conditions for the program to review for approval.
What Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana in Arkansas?
In order to get an Arkansas medical marijuana card, Arkansas residents must have medical records documenting that they are suffering from a qualifying condition.
There are currently 18 qualifying conditions in Arkansas which include:
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Cancer
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Glaucoma
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Positive status for HIV/AIDS
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Hepatitis C
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
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Tourette’s syndrome
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Crohn’s disease
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Ulcerative colitis
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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Severe arthritis
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Fibromyalgia
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Alzheimer’s disease
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A chronic or debilitating disease/medical condition/treatment that produces one or more of the following:
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Cachexia, or wasting syndrome
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Intractable pain, or pain that has not responded to ordinary treatment or surgical methods for more than six (6) months
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Peripheral neuropathy
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Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy
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Severe nausea
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Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis (MS)
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How To Propose a New Qualifying Condition to the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program
The Arkansas Department of Health allows Arkansas residents to submit a petition to propose a new condition. The petition must include the following criteria:
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The specific name and a description of the proposed medical condition that is being requested
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How the medical condition causes suffering and effects an individuals daily life
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A description of the benefits of medical marijuana specific to the proposed condition
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Evidence accepted by medical experts that supports the use of medical marijuana specific to the condition
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Letters of support provided by physicians
Further details and directions to submitting a petition can be found on the Arkansas Department of Health's website.
If the petition submitted meets all of the requirements, it will be passed along for a public hearing. The petitioner will be notified of the date and time of the public hearing so they can attend and propose any comments, along with members of the Arkansas public.