Pubdate: Fri, 26 Aug 2016
Source: Sentinel-Record, The (AR)
Copyright: 2016 The Sentinel-Record, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.hotsr.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1539
Author: Colbie McCloud

GOVERNOR OPPOSES MARIJUANA PROPOSALS

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson told the Association of Arkansas 
Counties' 48th Annual Conference Thursday that he will oppose two 
proposals on the November general election ballot that would legalize 
medical marijuana in the state.

"I will be opposing the two marijuana initiatives," Hutchinson told 
the conference, which was held at the Hot Springs Convention Center. 
"You can imagine the enforcement issues and the regulatory issues 
that are involved with this. I do not see any tax benefits for the 
state. I see more of a tax drain for the state."

A similar medical marijuana proposal hit the 2012 ballot, but was 
narrowly defeated by a 2 percent margin.

"In other words, it almost passed. The general thinking is with that 
kind of momentum in 2012 and with what is happening in some other 
states, these initiatives are likely to pass this year. I will 
concede that we have a historical argument for it," Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson appointed Dr. Greg Bledsoe, a physician, as surgeon 
general in hopes that with his experience in medicine he could lead 
the efforts to oppose the two marijuana proposals. He said the 
proposals are not only dealing with medicine, but also the 
recreational use of marijuana across the state.

"No one wants to deny appropriate medical care from one in need, but 
physicians make that determination. The American Medical Society has 
not determined that smoking marijuana has beneficial effects, but yet 
we are going to allow it by a ballot initiative. That is not a good 
way to determine good medicine," Hutchinson said.

The initiatives call for the Arkansas Department of Health to handle 
regulation and enforcement with three state departments. A new 
commission, the Medical Marijuana Commission, would be established to 
work alongside the ADH and Alcoholic Beverage Control.

"It is going to be a consuming, and as someone said, a 'nightmarish' 
enterprise to pass the laws to regulate this and for our state to not 
be consumed by this. One of the big debates is, if you are going to 
have a medical marijuana initiative, what is going to be the source 
of supply because, under federal law, it is still illegal. They 
'wink' right now at Colorado. Maybe they'll stop 'winking' some day," 
Hutchinson said.

Under the Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016, only dispensaries that 
are licensed with the ADH will be permitted to sell marijuana. 
Qualified patients who live 20 miles or more away from a cannabis 
care center would be permitted to grow their own marijuana through 
the other initiative. Employers and landlords would no longer be able 
to discriminate against marijuana users.

"So if it is lawful, the landlords are going to have to take whoever 
comes whether they grow their own or not," Hutchinson said.

A subsidization program would be implemented to set aside tax revenue 
from marijuana sales to purchase marijuana for low-income residents.

"Parents can sign a form to allow their children to get medical 
marijuana. You would say no parent would do that, but we know better. 
I don't think this is good for our counties," Hutchinson said.

The secretary of state's office last month approved one medical 
marijuana proposal for the November ballot and is reviewing petitions 
submitted for a competing measure, The Associated Press reported Thursday.

David Couch, the sponsor of the measure still being reviewed, told 
the AP fees and taxes in his proposal would more than pay for the 
cost of regulating the drug, adding "it's going to be revenue positive."

Melissa Fults, the head of Arkansans for Compassionate Care, which is 
behind the measure approved for November, told the AP regulation 
would also be covered by taxes and license fees. Plus, she said, 
it'll create jobs at dispensaries and for related services such as 
security and grow-lighting.

"It's going to create a huge number of jobs besides giving patients 
an alternative for their medicine," Fults said. "I think he would 
appreciate jobs being created."

Fults' group asked the state Supreme Court to dismiss a request by 
opponents to prevent the state from counting or certifying any votes 
for the proposal. The complaint filed Wednesday claims the language 
of the proposal is misleading.

"They have to tell us, the court and other parties, what the facts 
are, but they don't," the group said in Thursday's filing, the AP reported.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom