Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) said in a recent address that she plans to use tax revenue generated by the state’s medical cannabis industry to fund free meals in schools around the state.
Arkansas Gov. Plans to Use Medical Cannabis Tax Revenues to Fund Free School Meals
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During her State of the State address on Tuesday, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) said she plans to use tax revenues from medical cannabis to provide free meals in schools throughout 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.” — Huckabee Sanders during State of the State, 1/14/25
According to state Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) data, medical cannabis sales in Arkansas totaled $250 million through November 2024 and the two state taxes on medical cannabis sales generated $28.5 million in 2024, DFA spokesperson Scott Hardin told KATV.
Sanders suggested also using medical cannabis tax revenues for the summer EBT program in an effort to end the state grocery tax, which she referred to as the state’s “most regressive.”
There are over 109,000 medical cannabis patient cards issued in Arkansas. Voters approved the medical cannabis law in November 2016. Medical cannabis sales carry a 6.5% sales tax which is currently used for public school funding and efforts to combat food insecurity in the state.
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