Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has unveiled plans to allocate tax revenue from medical marijuana sales and licensing to fund free school meals across the state.
“I’ve already announced that Arkansas will participate in summer EBT this year. And today, I’m announcing my plan to use medical marijuana money to make both this program and our free lunch and breakfast programs financially sustainable for years to come”, said Sanders in her State of the State address.
Sanders said “We will also use those funds to make school breakfasts in Arkansas completely free for ay student that chooses to participate.”
As of the end of November, Arkansas has sold over $250 million worth of medical marijuana in 2024, resulting in $28.5 million in taxes. This brings the total tax revenue since the program’s inception to nearly $150 million.
Arkansas’ medical marijuana law was passed in November 2016 when voters approved Amendment 98, also known as the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment. The law allows patients with qualifying medical conditions, such as cancer, epilepsy, and chronic pain, to obtain a physician’s recommendation to access medical marijuana through licensed dispensaries. The program is regulated by the Arkansas Department of Health, which oversees patient registration and the issuance of medical marijuana cards.
