A legislative proposal to legalize marijuana via a constitutional amendment has been introduced in the Arkansas Senate.
Filed by State Senator Joshua Bryant, the bill would allow those 21 and older to possess and consume marijuana and marijuana products for all uses. It would also establish a licensed and regulated system of marijuana retail outlets and producers to supply said outlets.
Bryant says he submitted the proposal in order to allow elected representatives rather than “big money, out-of-state interests” to decide, referencing an initiative that was rejected by voters in November after large amounts of out-of-state money was donated to oppose the measure.
“Even though Initiative Four on the ballot in 2022 failed, the big money, special interests out-of-state lobbyists group are not going to go away,” says Bryant. “We have very easy ballot access, and they have deep pockets. So, they’re going to come back.”
Although recreational marijuana is illegal in Arkansas, in 2022 medical marijuana patients spent $251.7 million to obtain 45,677 pounds of marijuana.
