Arkansas Authorities Continue to Seize Illegal Marijuana from Out of State

Marijuana,

Authorities in Arkansas continue to seize black market marijuana originating from out of state.

On Monday, the Arkansas State Police announced troopers had confiscated hundreds of pounds of illegal marijuana and THC over the course of traffic stops in June and July.

The press release indicated the drugs largely originated from outside of Arkansas.

We have written repeatedly about how marijuana’s legalization in other states has actually fueled the black market rather than weakening it.

Despite California’s decision to legalize marijuana, the state’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce seized nearly 32,000 pounds of illegal marijuana in the first three months of 2024.

Oregon has been flooded by illegal marijuana operations controlled by organized crime and drug cartels. Some of these marijuana operations are tied to labor trafficking and violent crime.

Oklahoma authorities describe illicit marijuana as a problem that “plagues” their state.

The list goes on.

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.

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

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Marijuana Group Employed 470 Paid Canvassers to Collect Signatures

Marijuana,

Public documents obtained from the Secretary of State’s office show the group backing the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment paid some 470 canvassers to collect signatures in support of the ballot proposal.

The marijuana amendment by Arkansans for Patient Access would change the state constitution to expand marijuana in Arkansas. The group submitted signatures to place the measure on the ballot last Friday. The Secretary of State is currently reviewing and counting the signatures to determine if they are valid.

Arkansans for Patient Access provided documents to the Secretary of State showing the group employed some 470 paid petition canvassers over the course of the signature campaign.

Under Arkansas law, paid petition canvassers must be residents of Arkansas. They must pass a criminal background check, and their information must be properly recorded with the Secretary of State’s office.

If passed, the marijuana amendment would drastically expand marijuana in Arkansas.

The amendment makes it possible for people to grow and use medical marijuana without suffering from a specific medical condition listed in state law.

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

It also would guarantee marijuana growers and sellers a monopoly over the state’s marijuana industry.

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.

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

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Family Council Action Committee will Support Legal Challenges Against Abortion, Marijuana if Approved for November Ballot

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July  5, 2024

Little Rock, Ark. — On Friday, Family Council Action Committee announced plans to support and coordinate legal challenges against the Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024 and the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024, if either amendment is approved for the November ballot.

Executive Director Jerry Cox released a statement, saying, “If either of these amendments is certified for the November ballot, our organization will mount a legal challenge to have it removed from the ballot, or we will assist other organizations who step forward to challenge these measures in court.”

Cox said the Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024 is unclear, legally flawed, and puts women in Arkansas at risk. “The Arkansas Abortion Amendment is so fatally flawed that it has no business being on the ballot. It prevents the State of Arkansas from restricting abortion during the first five months of pregnancy for any reason. That is more extreme than Roe v. Wade. The measure says abortions may be ‘assisted’ by a physician, and that abortions ‘may’ be performed in a hospital or other licensed healthcare facility. It does not say that abortions must be performed in these facilities, and it does not say that abortions must be performed by a doctor or even by a medical professional. In fact, the amendment does not contain any medical licensing or health and safety requirements for abortions. This measure endangers the lives of the very women its proponents purport to help. Those are fatal flaws, and they are just some of the reasons why a court should remove it from the ballot.”

Cox said the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024 is also flawed and should be disqualified from the ballot. “The marijuana amendment would drastically expand marijuana in Arkansas. The amendment makes it possible for people to grow and use ‘medical’ marijuana without suffering from a specific medical condition listed in state law. The amendment also repeals restrictions that protect children from marijuana advertisements. The amendment’s ballot title is so complicated that it fails to explain to the voter exactly how the amendment changes Arkansas’ medical marijuana laws and what effect those changes will have on our state. That is one reason why this amendment is fatally flawed and should not appear on the ballot.”

Cox thanked the groups and individuals who are opposing the abortion amendment and the marijuana amendment. “The campaigns behind these measures paid hundreds of canvassers $30 to $50 an hour to scour the state for signatures. But our network of volunteers working against the abortion amendment and the marijuana amendment have been very successful because they have helped educate Arkansans about these extreme measures. That work will be vital if these campaigns continue to November.”

Cox said the group will announce further details regarding legal challenges once the Secretary of State finishes certifying ballot measures later this summer.

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