Just-appointed Arkansas medical marijuana panel on short clock
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Arkansas political leaders on Wednesday named five people to the state Medical Marijuana Commission, setting up a panel that will adopt policies and regulations that each of the elected officials opposed when ballot issues were considered at the polls last month.
We were rather vocal in our opposition to the amendment, but the people spoke and it is our responsibility to take the steps necessary to implement in a fair and responsible way the amendment that was passed by the people of Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.
The governor and the leaders of the Arkansas House and Senate appointed a panel that includes a breast cancer surgeon, a pain specialist, a pharmacist, a former Senate chief of staff and a lawyer. Hutchinson spokesman J.R. Davis said there had been a discussion of perhaps placing someone from law enforcement on the commission but it was determined the other specialties were more important.
While Arkansas becomes the first Bible Belt state to allow medical marijuana, there are still federal laws against marijuana use.
Under the state constitutional amendment adopted last month, the commission will establish rules governing marijuana distribution to people suffering from certain medical conditions. It can license between four and eight growing centers and authorize between 20 and 40 dispensaries. No county can have more than four distribution sites.
The governor said he would prefer that the panel distribute licenses on ...
