Arkansas Supreme Court Rules Against Marijuana Amendment

Marijuana,

The following is a press release from Family Council Action Committee.

Little Rock, Ark. — On Monday the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024 failed to qualify for the November ballot.

Family Council Action Committee Executive Director Jerry Cox issued a statement, saying, “This is a good decision. The constitution is our state’s most important governing document, and any effort to change it must go through a rigorous and thorough process. The bar should be high, and any effort that doesn’t meet it shouldn’t make the ballot. Today’s Arkansas Supreme Court decision helps protect the integrity of our election process and our constitution.”

Cox called the marijuana measure’s wording confusing and deceptive. “This marijuana amendment is a fatally flawed effort to bring recreational marijuana to Arkansas. It would make more than 30 changes to Arkansas’ constitution. This amendment would give a handful of businesses a monopoly over an unregulated marijuana industry, and it would remove important restrictions that protect children from marijuana marketing. A measure this bad simply has no business being on the ballot or in the constitution.”

Cox praised the various groups and leaders who opposed marijuana amendment Issue 3. “Governor Sanders, Secretary of State John Thurston, and Attorney General Tim Griffin all worked hard to uphold Arkansas law regarding ballot issues. Groups like Stronger Arkansas, Protect Arkansas Children, and Arkansas Farm Bureau opposed Issue 3. Family Council Action Committee coordinated with volunteers in every county across the state to oppose Issue 3 in churches and communities. Without these groups and individuals, the sponsors of Issue 3 might have collected enough valid petition signatures to place the amendment on the ballot. We want to thank everyone who helped stop this fatally flawed measure.”

Cox said Family Council Action Committee will continue opposing marijuana in Arkansas. “Marijuana is a multibillion dollar industry. Since 2022, big businesses have spent millions of dollars trying to legalize marijuana in Arkansas. They have a lot of money at stake in this issue. That is why Family Council Action Committee plans to continue fighting marijuana in Arkansas. Our state simply does not need another drug problem.”

###

READ MORE

Family Council Action Committee Holds Press Conference Against Marijuana Amendment Issue 3

Marijuana, Video, ,

On Wednesday, Family Council Action Committee held a press conference against marijuana amendment Issue 3.

Below is a press release from Family Council Action Committee:

Family Council Action Committee Executive Director Jerry Cox released a statement, saying, “We have decided we cannot wait for the Arkansas Supreme Court to make a decision about whether Issue 3 will appear on the ballot. Voters need to understand what this marijuana amendment would do. Issue 3 is not about expanding patient access to medical marijuana. This is a complicated measure that would make over 30 changes to our state constitution. Marijuana industry insiders wrote this amendment to give themselves a monopoly over marijuana in Arkansas. They’ve raised two million dollars working to place this amendment on the ballot. Issue 3 repeals advertising and child safety regulations. It expands marijuana marketing, and eliminates childproof packaging requirements for marijuana. Issue 3 also gives free taxpayer-funded, marijuana cards to anyone, including illegal immigrants and other non-residents. We want to help voters understand these serious flaws before they head to the polls.”

Cox said Family Council Action plans to visit 25 cities across Arkansas ahead of November 5. “We already have a grassroots network of volunteers across the state who are working against Issue 3, and we have begun running advertisements against Issue 3 online. The next step of our campaign is a statewide tour of 25 cities beginning on Tuesday and running all the way until election day. These will be forums open to the public where anyone can learn about Issue 3. We also plan to coordinate with other groups and other leaders who oppose Issue 3. If the Arkansas Supreme Court chooses to certify Issue 3 for the ballot, we are confident voters will reject this fatally flawed measure at the ballot box.”

Below is a video of Wednesday’s press conference.

READ MORE

Group Backing Marijuana in Arkansas Raised Nearly $70K in September: New Report

Marijuana,

The group campaigning for marijuana in Arkansas raised $69,999 during September, according to reports filed Tuesday with the Arkansas Ethics Commission.

Arkansans for Patient Access is working to pass Issue 3, an amendment drastically expanding marijuana in the state.

Issue 3 would make more than 30 changes to Arkansas’ constitution.

Among other things, the amendment would give a handful of businesses a monopoly over marijuana in Arkansas, and it would remove restrictions that protect children from marijuana marketing.

Issue 3 would give free marijuana cards to immigrants and out-of-state residents who come to Arkansas to use marijuana.

Under this measure, 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.

Issue 3 also fails to limit the amount of THC in marijuana products.

All of this would lead to more marijuana in Arkansas.

The ethics reports filed Tuesday show Arkansans for Patient Access raised $69,999 during September to pass marijuana amendment Issue 3. The funding came entirely from members of the marijuana industry.

A growing body of research shows marijuana is dangerous.

For example, a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that states that legalized commercial marijuana sales saw self-harm rates rise by 46% among men ages 21 to 39.

Marijuana can have damaging effects on adolescent brains — including permanent loss in IQ, difficulty thinking and problem-solving, reduced coordination, and increased risk of psychosis.

We have also written time and again about how marijuana’s legalization in other states has actually emboldened drug cartels and organized crime.

Some of these illegal marijuana operations are tied to labor trafficking and violent crime, and some have connections to foreign interests like the Chinese Communist Party.

A CBS News segment last year highlighted how Chinese investment is driving illegal marijuana production across the U.S.

CBN reported last October that Chinese investors with “suitcases full of cash” are buying U.S. farmland to grow black market marijuana.

Other correspondents have reported how these illegal marijuana operations contribute to “modern day slavery on American soil.”

All of this raises serious concerns about what marijuana expansion could mean for Arkansas.

Family Council Action Committee has materials available for volunteers and churches regarding the marijuana amendment:

You can learn more at FamilyCouncilActionCommittee.com.

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

READ MORE