How To Get an Arkansas Marijuana Card
To be approved for a medical marijuana card in Arkansas, your medical provider must be a doctor of medicine or osteopathy licensed in the state of Arkansas, have a controlled substances license on file with the DEA, be in good standing to practice medicine in Arkansas, and have a bona fide physician-patient relationship with the patient they are certifying for medical cannabis.
In order to qualify for a registry card to legally purchase medical marijuana, you must meet the following qualifications:
- Be 18 years of age or older or be a minor patient with parental consent.
- Be diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition.
- Have the official written certification from a physician.
- Be an Arkansas resident with proof of residency.
Step 1 in obtaining your Arkansas medical marijuana card is to talk to your physician. If your doctor can or will not certify patients for medical marijuana you find a list of doctors in Arkansas who offer this service click here.
If you wish to apply for your Arkansas medical marijuana card with the state online you can do so here.
Application forms can be downloaded here.
You may also request the forms to be mailed to you by calling 1-833-214-8619.
If you are mailing your application rather than applying online you’ll need to send it to this address:
Arkansas Department of Health
Medical Marijuana Section
4815 West Markham Slot 50
Little Rock, AR 72205
Qualified patients must pay a non-refundable $50 fee for a medical marijuana card. And there is a $50 annual renewal fee.
The card is valid for one year from the date of issue, however, a physician can also specify a duration.
Unfortunately, Arkansas law prohibits members of Arkansas National Guard and the United States Military from obtaining a registry ID card.
Do You Really Need An Arkansas Medical Marijuana Card?
There are some hoops to jump through and some extra costs involved in getting a doctor to provide a medical marijuana recommendation. Some folks have been purchasing marijuana illicitly for years and may not want to deal with all that, but rather just continue to purchase from their local dealer. As you are probably aware there are some serious risks to taking this approach that might make it worth the extra time and money to go legit.
Be forewarned: Arkansas has some of the most stringent marijuana laws in the U.S. As of 2012, Arkansas was arresting more than 5,000 citizens and visitors alike each year on marijuana charges, 90 percent of which are due to possession of small amounts for personal use. Be further forewarned that African Americans in Arkansas are more three times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white folks, sadly.
So what’s at risk here? If you’re caught with anything up to four ounces of marijuana without a license you could be facing up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $2,500. Penalties for subsequent offenses are far harsher.
Furthermore, if you are caught operating a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana — regardless of whether or not you’re a certified medical marijuana patient — you’ll be subject to the state’s drunk driving laws which could result in the loss of your license for a period of time, hefty fines, and potential jail time.
There are some cities in Arkansas that have passed measures that make adult marijuana possession the lowest priority for local law enforcement including Fayetteville and Eureka Springs. Although you might have an easier time of it in those cities, it still won’t be a whole lot of fun dealing with the police if they catch you driving around smoking weed — even if you do happen to hold a medical card. The state has very strict drugged driving laws. Should you fail a drug test you risk losing your license and a ton of money on lawyers and fines.
Furthermore, Arkansas’ medical marijuana program doesn’t change the fact that marijuana is still federally illegal. If you are caught on federal property such as a national park or military base, you’re looking at possible felony charges and an extended stay at a federal prison.
But if you’re using marijuana for legitimate medical purposes and not for kicks, do you really need the THC? Or might perfectly legal hemp CBD oil alone do the trick and thereby eliminate any legal risks?
And there’s another risk. While Arkansas regulations require stringent testing of medical marijuana products, the black market has no such restrictions. That means the marijuana sold by illicit dealers is extremely likely to contain dangerous chemicals such as pesticides and possibly other toxic contaminants including mold.