High Number of Applications for Arkansas Medical Pot

BY KELLY P. KISSEL
ASSOCIATED PRESS

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Would-be growers and distributors of Arkansas’ initial medical marijuana crop have flooded a state office building waiting for their turn to submit applications.

Ahead of Monday afternoon’s deadline, there was about a three-hour wait for applicants at the Department of Finance and Administration Building. Agency spokesman Scott Hardin said that before noon, the office had distributed paperwork to more than 100 groups or individuals. Fewer than half the applicants had been called in for clerks to review paperwork to ensure it was in order.

Voters last year approved marijuana use by people with certain medical conditions. A state commission will review applications after the names of companies and individuals have been removed and then select five growers and 32 distribution sites.

Hardin said applications are averaging about 1,000 pages long.