Arkansas State Police Still Seizing Hundreds of Pounds of Illegal Marijuana from Out of State

Marijuana

Arkansas authorities continue to seize illegal marijuana from out of state.

We have written repeatedly about how marijuana’s legalization in other states has actually fueled illegal drugs — making it possible for growers to operate legally in one state and then transport the marijuana across state lines to sell it illegally.

For example, there are more than 8,000 registered marijuana grow sites in Oklahoma alone. Authorities have said the only way to sell that much marijuana is on the black market.

On Wednesday, the Arkansas State Police announced troopers seized 347 pounds of illegal marijuana in just two Franklin County traffic stops on Interstate 40 in the past week.

The drivers allegedly transporting the marijuana both appear to have been from out of state.

Legalization doesn’t weaken the black market. If anything, it makes the problem worse.

Right now the group Arkansans for Patient Access is actively working to drastically expand marijuana in Arkansas.

If passed, the amendment would give free marijuana cards to immigrants and out-of-state residents who come to Arkansas to use marijuana.

The amendment would guarantee marijuana growers and sellers a monopoly over the state’s marijuana industry.

Marijuana users would no longer need to show they suffer from a specific medical condition listed in state law — making it easier to use marijuana recreationally.

The measure also fails to limit the amount of THC that marijuana products can contain, and it repeals restrictions on marijuana advertising.

All of this would lead to more marijuana in the state.

Below is a press release from Arkansas State Police regarding the two recent traffic stops that netted 347 pounds of illegal marijuana.

OZARK, Ark. — On Monday, July 29, 2024, at approximately 8:17 a.m., Arkansas State Police (ASP) stopped a 2020 black Chevrolet Silverado on Interstate 40 eastbound around the 43-mile marker for a traffic violation. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of seven large trash bags in the truck bed containing 145 pounds of illegal marijuana.

Troopers arrested the driver of the vehicle, Steven McGee, 34, of Halstead, Kan., and transported him to the Franklin County Detention Center, where he was booked on felony charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver and Drug Paraphernalia. 

On Thursday, July 25, 2024, at approximately 11:47 a.m., Troopers stopped a black 2014 Dodge pickup eastbound on I-40 around the 40-mile marker in Franklin County for a traffic violation.  

Troopers searched the vehicle and discovered seven large trash bags in the bed of the pickup truck filled with 202 pounds of illegal marijuana.

Troopers arrested the driver, Brent Pope, 42, of Strawberry Plains, Tenn., and transported him to the Franklin County Detention Center, where he was charged with felony Possession with Intent to Deliver and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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State of Arkansas Files Second Complaint in Lawsuit Against TikTok

Social Media,

The State of Arkansas is pressing forward with its legal challenges against social media giant TikTok.

With an estimated one billion users worldwide and 135 million in the U.S., TikTok is considered by some to be the most popular social media platform in the world. However, last year Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed two lawsuits accusing TikTok and its parent company ByteDance of violating Arkansas’ Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

One of the lawsuits — filed in Union County — alleges that TikTok failed to fully disclose that TikTok is subject to Chinese law — including laws that mandate cooperation with intelligence activities of the People’s Republic of China.

In an amended complaint filed in Union County on July 18, the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office argued,

Tik Tok also downplays its connection to China by dismissing Chinese Communist Party presence and influence within ByteDance as unimportant or irrelevant. . . . TikTok’s efforts to downplay its connection to China are designed to, and have the effect of, conveying to Arkansas consumers that the risk of their data being accessed and exploited by Chinese authorities is minimal to nonexistent. . . . The Chinese Government and Communist Party exercise and have exercised legal and political authority over ByteDance. Chinese authorities even forced the company to alter certain business practices and close one business altogether. . . . [TikTok and ByteDance] knowingly deceived Arkansas consumers, and continue to do so, because Chinese law reaches their data in all the ways described in this Complaint and because their data is at risk of access and exploitation by Chinese government or Communist Party.

Social media platforms aren’t just websites or phone apps. These are multimillion dollar businesses owned and operated by investors and other interests.

As we have said before, there’s mounting evidence that platforms like TikTok put people’s personal information at risk and are actually designed to push objectionable content to users.

With that in mind, it’s good to see the A.G.’s office taking action to fight back against these businesses and protect Arkansans online.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Arkansas Ranked #4 in the Nation on Protections for Religious Liberty

Religious Freedom,

Arkansas is the fourth best state in the nation when it comes to protecting religious liberty, according to a new report.

First Liberty’s Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy released its annual Religious Liberty in the States report earlier this month. The report ranks all 50 states based on 16 different religious liberty policies — such as policies protecting religious liberty in healthcare, at school, in religious ceremonies, and in other contexts.

Arkansas ranked fourth in the nation, behind Montana, Florida, and Illinois.

Arkansas has taken bold steps to protect the free exercise of religion. The state passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2015 and the Conscience Protection Act in 2023.

Wedding venues, bakeries, photography studios, and florist shops all have come under fire, because their owners wanted to operate according to their deeply held convictions. People should not have to choose between their livelihood and their religious convictions. That is why it is so important for our laws to protect religious liberty as much as possible.

The Religious Liberty in the States report outlines areas of the law where Arkansas’ religious freedom laws could be better. Family Council plans to support better protections for religious liberty when the state legislature convenes in January.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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