A proposed constitutional amendment allowing for medical marijuana in Arkansas was denied by the state attorney general Monday on grounds that the language outlining the specifics of the law was too vague.
“Your proposed ballot title implies that a qualifying patient’s only source of marijuana will be a nonprofit dispensary,” Attorney General Dustin McDaniel wrote in his ruling. “I accordingly assume that you intend for at-home growing by patients to be disallowed, but the proposal’s language does not clearly achieve that result.”
According to David Couch, spokesman for the group responsible for the bill, home cultivation would not be allowed under the new law – a move that disappoints a few cannabis advocates in the state.
Good news: Couch’s proposal isn’t the only one flying around the capitol dome in Little Rock. Arkansans for Compassionate Care has also submitted a proposed ballot initiative and it would allow for patients to grow at home so long as they live farther than five miles from the nearest dispensary.
Bad news: It has already been rejected three times since November.
According to ArkansasNews.com, the two groups formerly worked together but were divided over the issue of home cultivation. Couch split, and wrote his own draft, which he says voters will approve.
“There was a poll conducted after [last year’s]election and 15-20 percent of people that voted against the proposal last time, said they would probably vote for it had it not been for the grow your own,” Couch told ArkansasMatters.com.
Read the entire ruling from the attorney general here.