LAKE HAMILTON, Ark. — One of Arkansas's eight licensed marijuana cultivators has been fined by the state for multiple infractions, according to a spokesperson for Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), the state agency in charge of it.
Leafology, located on Amity Road in Lake Hamilton, has been fined for things such as improper handling of records, not keeping proper video surveillance and odor that was not contained.
Neighbors have said the smell can sometimes be overwhelming.
One woman at the apartment complex next door told us that the smell is very, very powerful when she can smell it.
Another man explained that "Leafology has a responsibility to operate within the guidelines of state law, which means they can not be heard, seen, or smelled by the public. If those items are not met, then the state needs to make Leafology fix the problem."
The state has fined Leafology over $10,000 for those infractions. In a meeting last week, the board for ABC also discussed a possible suspension of the license for Leafology.
Scott Hardin, spokesperson for ABC, said that they ultimately decided not to do that.
"The board ultimately said, 'Okay, we're upholding the fine, we're going to find you $10,500,' and we're not going to uphold the suspension because the company said in the hearing, 'listen, this suspension, you know, we're really fighting to stay competitive. And this suspension could borderline put us under,'" Hardin described.
We called the number on Leafology's Facebook page. The man who answered the phone told us that they had fixed the problems, and would pass along our contact information to someone who could answer more questions.
At the time of this article's publication, we have not heard back.
Hardin also told us this is one of the first times they've ever recommended that a cultivator have its license suspended, mainly due to the fact that most of the others are located in more rural areas.
Hardin said if you live nearby and smell anything, you're encouraged to call ABC.