LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to expand the state's medical marijuana access on Jan. 30, citing several issues.
The proposed amendment was submitted under the popular name Arkansas Medical Cannabis Amendment of 2024 by Arkansas For Patient Access (APA) on Jan. 12.
The amendment to the Arkansas Constitution would expand access to medical marijuana for qualified patients under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment from 2016, Amendment 98.
Griffin advised the group to submit a more appropriate ballot title so voters wouldn't be misled.
He said they failed to define "medical cannabis."
Griffin cited that the advertising language isn't specific enough. The proposed text said advertisers are restricted from making any packaging by a dispensary, processor, or cultivation facility appealing to children. It also says, "The rules shall also require child-proof packaging."
He said they do not define what rules they would be abiding by—either the Medical Marijuana Commission (MMC) or the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division (ABC).
Griffin also cites a failure to meet the "full text" requirement.
In his letter, Griffin said, "The absence of the measure's full text then renders the ballot title misleading by omission. I am aware that your proposal is simply copying what is already considered part of Amendment 98. But that cross-reference to federal law was created by the legislature, not through the initiative process."
Griffin also had an issue with the grammatical errors in the ballot amendment.
"While I have authority to change them as they appear in the text, I like authority to change them as they appear in the text. You likely will want to change this in the measure's text as well," he said.
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