Arkansas activists are collecting signatures to place adult-use marijuana legalization on the state’s 2022 ballot. The group, Arkansas True Grass, is proposing a system of regulated sales for adults 21 and older, allowing them to purchase up to four ounces of cannabis and grow up to 12 plants for personal use. There would be no limit on possession if it’s out of the public’s view. Regulators with the state Agriculture Department and Alcoholic Beverage Control Division would be responsible for overseeing the program and issuing marijuana business licenses. Briana Boling, a spokesperson for True Grass, told Marijuana Moment that the group has been collecting signatures for the measure since November 2020 and currently has about 10,000 of the required 89,151 that they need to turn in by July 2022 in order to qualify for the ballot. “I feel like we’re doing alright,” she said. “We’ve got the State Fair this year—we got a booth at the State Fair, so that’s going to be a lot of signatures,” Boling added that regional pressure as activists in neighboring states like Oklahoma and Missouri separately pursue reform could bolster their efforts. Under the Arkansas proposal, recreational cannabis products would be subject to the state’s 6.5 percent sales tax, in addition to an eight percent excise tax and five percent local tax. The legislature would be tasked with determining how revenue is allocated, but they would need to prioritize covering the costs of implementing the program.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 08/04/2021 16:39:00