Arkansas gov warns medical cannabis patients not to bring legal purchases over state line

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Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is cautioning medical marijuana patients there that buying MMJ products from licensed stores elsewhere to take back across state borders is against state and federal laws.

That warning could be especially unwelcome news for marijuana businesses in neighboring Oklahoma, which allows out-of-state cardholders to purchase MMJ at its licensed dispensaries.

Here’s a rundown of the current situation:

  • Hutchinson’s note came after Arkansas regulators announced last week they would issue medical marijuana identification cards to patients earlier than the previously announced date.
  • Some had concluded the move to give ID cards to Arkansans earlier could be a boon to Oklahoma cannabis businesses just across the state border, since Arkansas has seen significant delays in the launch of its own medical cannabis program.
  • There was also conjecture that the regulatory move in Arkansas was perhaps connected to recent news reports highlighting Oklahoma’s reciprocity law.

More details on the governor’s comments about Arkansans buying out-of-state marijuana can be found here.