STONE COUNTY, Ark. (KAIT) – Medical marijuana has been sold legally in Arkansas since 2019.
Tons of marijuana later, the state is receiving a nice bump from taxes the substance generates.
“Since the first dispensary opened, we’ve generated at the state level $120 million in state tax revenue,” Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission Spokesperson Scott Hardin said.
A small county in Arkansas holds the title for the most residents with medical marijuana cards per capita.
According to content partner Arkansas Business, Stone County’s population is 12,575, and 6.96% of those residents are active card holders.
Fiddler’s Green, the only dispensary in the county, opened in August of 2019.
In November 2023, Fiddler’s sold 102 pounds of marijuana, and 104 pounds in December.
Hardin said being one of the first dispensaries to open, it’s impressive to see how much marijuana is being sold, and how many cardholders there are.
“Those dispensaries that opened early had an advantage that they got to the patients first. There were limited options across the state, so there for the first year, you saw people flocking to these limited locations,” Hardin explained. “If you look at the other counties of similar size, you don’t see the number of cards.”
While the numbers might look good on the business side of things, it’s a cause of worry for Sheriff Brandon Long.
“It definitely keeps us busy,” Sheriff Long stated.
Sheriff Long said when the store opened in August 2019…
