About the Arkansas Marijuana Amendment
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Marijuana Amendment Fails to Qualify for November Ballot for Now
BREAKING NEWS:
Marijuana Amendment DISQUALIFIED.
Mexican & Chinese Drug Cartels in Arkansas
Monopoly
Opens the Door for Foreign Drug Cartels: Some people believe legalization would eliminate the black market, but reports show legalization in other states has actually fueled the black market and drug cartels. Oklahoma legalized medical marijuana in 2018. Since then, Chinese and Mexican drug cartels have exploited their state law to grow and sell marijuana on the black market. If Issue 3 passes, Arkansas will become a prime target to these same criminals. Since the proposed Arkansas marijuana amendment allows marijuana to be grown and processed at any residence, it creates a wide open door for the cartels to expand their drug operations to any community in Arkansas. (Section 3(u); Section 4)).
Rigs the System for the Big Marijuana Monopoly: Issue 3 was written and funded by powerful members of the marijuana industry. These multimillion-dollar marijuana businesses wrote Issue 3 to guarantee themselves a monopoly over marijuana in Arkansas. This amendment prohibits the Arkansas Legislature, cities, and counties from passing any laws — including zoning and taxes — to regulate marijuana. If this amendment passes, a handful of people will control a powerful, nearly unregulated , multimillion-dollar marijuana industry in Arkansas. This is crony politics at its worst. (Section 2; Section 3(v); Section 5; Section 6; Section 7; Section 8).
Marijuana Cards
Advertising
Targeting Children through Advertising: Currently, marijuana advertisements are strictly regulated in Arkansas, and state law has special provisions to protect children from being targeted by marijuana marketing. Issue 3 would repeal good laws designed to protect children and would open the door for unregulated marijuana marketing. Imagine our children being exposed to marijuana ads on television, online, and on their tablets and cell phones. What if children saw ads for marijuana as frequently as ads for alcohol or gambling? (Section 3(p)).
Free Marijuana Cards for Everyone: Issue 3 eliminates Arkansas’ annual $50 fee for marijuana cards. That means marijuana users will get free marijuana cards at taxpayer expense. It also gives free marijuana cards to users from out-of-state and even to illegal immigrants who come to Arkansas. All of this could make our communities more dangerous, hurt tourism, and cause people to leave our state. California legalized marijuana many years ago, and its streets have filled with homeless drug addicts. We can’t afford to become another California. Arkansas simply does not need another drug problem. (Section 3(l)).
Unregulated Home Cultivation
Children
Dangerous for Children: Current law requires packaging for marijuana products to meet federal childproof packaging safety standards, including appropriate testing. Issue 3 removes those protections for children. If this amendment passes, marijuana products could be sold without appropriate safety testing for childproof packaging. This puts Arkansas’ children in danger. (Section 3(p)).
Allows Growing and Processing of Marijuana In Every Neighborhood, House, and Apartment: Currently, it is illegal for marijuana users to grow marijuana at home. Issue 3 would change that. It would let people grow and process marijuana at home anywhere in the state. Imagine drug houses in any neighborhood in Arkansas, and there being nothing a landlord or homeowner could do about it. This will hurt property values, make our communities more dangerous, and put Arkansans at risk. (Section 4).
Recreational Marijuana by Another Name
Dangerous THC Marijuana Concentrates
Dangerous Drug Legalization: Issue 3 legalizes much more than the cannabis plant. It legalizes refined tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a powerful, psychoactive drug extracted from the cannabis plant. Current law restricts THC-infused food or drinks that may appeal to children. This amendment would lead to more candy, drinks, and pure extracts laced with enough THC to cause poisoning or even death. It could also let the marijuana industry engineer new forms of this drug that are dangerous and addictive. All of this puts Arkansans at risk. (Section 3(e); Section 3(p)).
Recreational Marijuana by Another Name: Medical marijuana is already legal in Arkansas, and more than 100,000 patients have medical marijuana cards. Currently, patients must have a medical exam and a certification from a doctor confirming they suffer from a specific medical condition defined in state law. Issue 3 will allow anyone to get a marijuana card without ever seeing a doctor and without suffering from a specific medical condition listed in state law. Issue 3 also allows ANYONE to purchase marijuana through the Arkansas monopoly system of cultivators and dispensaries if the federal government decriminalizes marijuana or no longer schedules it as a controlled substance (Section 3(b): Section 3(c); Section 5).
1. Marijuana and Mexican Cartels: Inside the Stunning Rise of Chinese Money Launderers (Aug. 2024), available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/marijuana-mexican-cartels-stunning-rise-chinese-money-launderers-rcna158030.
2. Currently, advertisements can only be placed in media outlets with an audience composition of at least 70% adults. This would be replaced by a requirement that advertising restrictions to protect children must be “narrowly tailored.” This legal concept is tied to the judicial review standard of strict scrutiny and will make it challenging for advertising restrictions to survive court challenges. In addition, signage restrictions would be removed, making marijuana very “in-your-face” for all Arkansans–including kids.
3. Section 3(p) of the Amendment deletes the restriction on “product design, including without limitation shapes and flavors” that are “appealing to children [emphasis added].” This is a blatant example of the way the Amendment puts profits over people.
4. If marijuana becomes federally decriminalized, adults will ONLY be permitted to obtain marijuana through a dispensary because the cultivation of marijuana is limited to cultivation facilities and dispensaries for the general public (as opposed to marijuana cardholders). This means more money for the marijuana monopoly.