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Can You Smoke Marijuana in Arkansas With a Medical Card?
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If you have an Arkansas medical marijuana card, you may be wondering whether you can legally smoke the marijuana you purchase from a dispensary.
The answer is yes. Arkansas medical marijuana patients who are 21 or older can legally smoke medical marijuana, but there are important restrictions on where smoking is permitted. Registered patients under 21 are prohibited from smoking marijuana for medical use.
Understanding these restrictions is important for anyone participating in the Arkansas medical marijuana program.
Can Medical Marijuana Patients Smoke Marijuana in Arkansas?
Unlike some medical marijuana states that prohibit combustion entirely, Arkansas allows registered medical marijuana patients who are at least 21 years old to smoke marijuana for medical use.
However, having an Arkansas medical marijuana card does not mean you can smoke marijuana anywhere. Arkansas law establishes several circumstances in which smoking medical marijuana is prohibited.
Where Can You Smoke Medical Marijuana in Arkansas?
For patients 21 and older, smoking medical marijuana is permitted only when doing so does not violate the restrictions established under Arkansas law.
Arkansas prohibits smoking medical marijuana:
Anywhere tobacco smoking is prohibited by law
In the presence of someone under 14 years old
Inside a motor vehicle
Inside an aircraft
Inside a motorized watercraft
Knowingly in the presence of a pregnant woman
In a location where the smoke is likely to cause someone who is not authorized to use marijuana to become under the influence
These restrictions apply even when a patient has a valid Arkansas medical marijuana card.
Can You Smoke Medical Marijuana if You're Under 21 in Arkansas?
No. Arkansas medical marijuana patients under 21 are prohibited from smoking marijuana for medical use.
Younger qualifying patients may still participate in the medical marijuana program when they meet the applicable requirements, but smoking is not an authorized method of use for patients under 21.
Patients should discuss appropriate forms of medical marijuana with their medical marijuana doctor and review current state rules before purchasing or using marijuana products.
Can You Smoke Medical Marijuana in Your Apartment or Rental Home?
Not necessarily. Arkansas law does not require a landlord to allow a qualifying patient to smoke marijuana on leased property.
This means that even if you are 21 or older and have a valid Arkansas medical marijuana card, your landlord may prohibit smoking marijuana in your apartment, rental house, or other leased property.
Importantly, Arkansas law distinguishes smoking from other methods of medical marijuana use when addressing landlord restrictions. Patients who rent their homes should review their lease and property rules before consuming medical marijuana.
Can You Smoke Medical Marijuana in Your Car?
No. You cannot smoke medical marijuana inside a motor vehicle in Arkansas, even if you are a registered medical marijuana patient.
The restriction also applies to aircraft, motorized watercraft, and other vehicles powered by something other than human muscle power.
Patients should also never drive or operate a vehicle while impaired by marijuana.
Can You Smoke Marijuana in Public With an Arkansas Medical Card?
An Arkansas medical marijuana card does not give you unrestricted permission to smoke marijuana in public.
For example, medical marijuana cannot be smoked in locations where tobacco smoking is already prohibited by law. Other restrictions may also apply depending on the location and circumstances.
Property owners and establishments are also not generally required to allow visitors to use marijuana on their property simply because the visitor is a registered medical marijuana patient.
For these reasons, patients should not assume that having a medical card makes smoking marijuana permissible in any particular public or private location.
Why Is Having an Arkansas Medical Marijuana Card Important?
Arkansas does not have legal recreational marijuana. Marijuana is legal for medical use only for qualifying patients who have a valid Arkansas medical marijuana card. This means adults cannot legally purchase or possess marijuana for personal or recreational use without being registered as a medical marijuana patient. A valid medical marijuana card is required to purchase medical marijuana from a licensed Arkansas dispensary.
Arkansas operates a regulated medical marijuana program. A medical marijuana card allows qualifying patients to legally purchase medical marijuana from licensed dispensaries in accordance with state law.
Your card provides access to the state's regulated medical marijuana system, but patients remain responsible for following rules concerning possession, purchasing, consumption, and where medical marijuana may be used.
How Do You Get an Arkansas Medical Marijuana Card?
Arkansas residents who have an eligible medical condition can apply to participate in the state's medical marijuana program.
The process generally includes:
Determining whether you have a qualifying medical condition.
Obtaining the required physician certification.
Completing your Arkansas medical marijuana patient application.
Receiving state approval and your medical marijuana card.
Purchasing medical marijuana from licensed Arkansas dispensaries.
Patients should make sure their medical marijuana card remains active if they want to continue legally purchasing cannabis through Arkansas's medical program.
The Bottom Line: Can You Smoke Marijuana With a Medical Card in Arkansas?
Yes, if you are 21 or older. Arkansas allows qualifying medical marijuana patients who are at least 21 to smoke medical marijuana, but the state places significant restrictions on where smoking is allowed.
You cannot smoke medical marijuana in places where tobacco smoking is prohibited, inside a motor vehicle, in the presence of someone under 14, knowingly in the presence of a pregnant woman, or under certain other circumstances established by state law. Patients under 21 cannot smoke medical marijuana.
If you qualify for Arkansas's medical marijuana program, getting your medical marijuana card gives you access to licensed dispensaries and the state's regulated medical marijuana system.
Renew Your Medical Marijuana Card Today!
Medical marijuana is legal in Arkansas, and we can help you renew your medical card TODAY! If you qualify for your renewal, give us a call, and we can help!
You need your medical card to access any of Arkansas’s medical dispensaries. Not to worry, because it is now easier than ever to renew your card with Arkansas Marijuana Card!
Telemedicine makes it easy for you to renew your card from the comfort of your own home! Schedule an appointment with one of our doctors to get started today!
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Relief You Can Trust
Here at Arkansas Marijuana Card, we aim to help everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (844)-249-8714 today, or book an appointment here.
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