Medical marijuana amendment group submits more than 100k signatures

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The deadline has passed for ballot initiatives to turn in the required amount of signatures and the group behind one of the petitions says they have enough to get the Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024 on the November ballot.

The proposed amendment submitted 111,402 signatures, according to a news release from the group Arkansans for Patient Access. That would be enough to get the measure on the ballot if those signatures are verified.

APA says the amendment expands the original medical marijuana amendment that voters passed in 2016.

“Our canvassers found voters eager to place an amendment on the ballot that will eliminate barriers to access and make it less expensive to acquire and keep a medical marijuana card,” Bill Paschall with the APA said.

The new amendment would broaden the definition of “health care practitioner” to include additional qualified medical professionals who can certify a patient and would also allow patients to be seen by a practitioner via telemedicine.

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