Regulators in Arkansas received 95 medical cannabis cultivation applications and 227 dispensary applications, according to state Department of Finance and Administration figures outlined by the Associated Press. Pulaski County, the state’s most populous, received 26 applications for dispensaries, the most in the state, while cultivators are most interested in setting up operations in Jefferson County – which was listed in 13 cultivation applications.
Garland County was listed on 22 dispensary applications, and Washington County in 17. Under the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis constitutional amendment, each of the state’s eight regions will see up to four total dispensaries and regulators will select up to five cultivators.
Last month, on the application’s deadline, regulators indicated they had received about 300 cannabis industry applications total. Cultivation applicants had to pay a refundable $15,000 application fee, and dispensary applicants a $7,500 refundable fee. The applicants will be blindly reviewed by the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission, who will ultimately award the industry licenses.
According to the state Health Department, more than 1,200 patients have already been approved to participate in the program when it comes online; Marisha Di Carlo, director of health communications, said the department expects to receive about 30,000 patients applications based on other state trends, including qualifying conditions and population.