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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week directing federal agencies to move marijuana from a schedule one to a schedule three drug.
It’s a move that has been drawing attention nationwide, including here in Arkansas.
“I don’t think anything in Arkansas has changed other than researchers who study the effects of medicine now will have more opportunity to study the effects of medical marijuana,” said Senator Ronald Caldwell (R-Wynne), who is co-chair of the Medical Marijuana Oversight Subcommittee.
State leaders have stressed that the order does not legalize marijuana, and that it does not override Arkansas law.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said any federal reclassification would not alter or impact Arkansas’s constitutional provisions or marijuana laws.
Arkansas legalized medical marijuana only through a voter-approved amendment in 2016.
“If you listen to the statements that President Trump made, it was to try to develop new treatments for these chronically ill patients, and especially those with cancer who may receive some relief. And there’s other items out there too that can be treated, but I know that it is strictly a medical application, but the change in his executive order was strictly going to affect research,” Sen. Caldwell described.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health, more than 113,000 Arkansans currently hold medical marijuana cards, underscoring how widely the program is already used.
Senator Caldwell explained how the biggest impact won’t be at dispensaries, but it’ll be in laboratories.
“The researchers will be able to obtain samples and study them where in times past they have not,” he added.
A statement we received from the Department of Finance and Administration, the liaison for the Arkansas medical marijuana commission, said the following:
“We are reviewing the details of the order to determine any impact to the state, including the medical marijuana industry. We don’t have any specifics at this time as it will require additional review.”
That agency would likely see the most impact if the federal reclassification is finalized.
To see the complete executive order, please click here.