An amendment to expand access to medical cannabis in Arkansas will not appear on the November ballot in the state.
Secretary of State John Thurston determined that Arkansans for Patient Access did not collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, the Associated Press reported.
The group needed to collect 90,074 verified signatures but fell short at 88,040.
“For a proposed constitutional amendment, the required number of overall signatures in 2024 is 90,704,” Thurston wrote in a letter issued Monday.
“Therefore, I am obligated to deem your petition insufficient.”
The proposal was geared toward broadening the definition of medical professionals who can certify patients for MMJ.
It also would have expanded conditions that qualify patients for medical marijuana and made MMJ cards valid for three years.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin approved language for the ballot measure in February after initially rejecting it a month earlier.
Supporters of the ballot measure said they would continue to fight for voters’ right to decide in November.
“We are deeply disappointed by this outcome and will pursue legal action tomorrow against the Secretary of State to ensure the voices of Arkansans are heard,” the group said in a statement.
“The overwhelming support shown through the petition process proves that Arkansans want the opportunity to vote on expanded medical marijuana access.”
In 2023, the state’s 38 licensed dispensaries posted record sales of $283 million on patient purchases of 62,227 pounds of marijuana.
