How to Apply for an Arkansas Medical Marijuana Card
Arkansas’ medical marijuana program is governed by Amendment 98, approved by voters in 2016. Patients who want legal access must receive a physician’s written certification, apply through the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), and purchase medical marijuana only from a licensed Arkansas dispensary.
Who can qualify?
Arkansas does not limit medical marijuana cards to adults. Minors may qualify, but a parent or legal guardian must register as a designated caregiver because patients under 18 cannot purchase medical marijuana directly from a dispensary.
The state’s qualifying conditions include:
- Cancer
- Glaucoma
- HIV/AIDS
- Hepatitis C
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS
- Tourette’s syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD
- Severe arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Intractable pain lasting more than six months and unresponsive to ordinary treatment
- Severe nausea
- Seizures, including those associated with epilepsy
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those associated with multiple sclerosis
The Arkansas Department of Health’s medical marijuana FAQ explains that having a listed condition does not automatically guarantee approval. A qualifying patient must still obtain an official physician certification.
Physician certification requirements
The certifying provider must be an Arkansas-licensed medical doctor or doctor of osteopathic medicine who is in good standing, has a controlled-substances registration on file with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and has an established physician-patient relationship with the applicant.
The physician must evaluate the patient’s medical history and current condition before deciding whether the potential benefits of medical marijuana outweigh the risks. The written certification is valid for 30 days from the date it is signed, so the patient must submit the application before that period expires.
Arkansas law does not require a physician to provide a certification simply because a patient has a qualifying condition. Patients should discuss potential benefits, risks, medication interactions, and other treatment options with their healthcare provider.
What documents are required?
For a standard patient application, ADH requires:
- A completed medical marijuana registry application
- The ADH physician written-certification form
- A copy of the front of an Arkansas driver’s license or Arkansas state identification card
- The nonrefundable $50 application fee
Patients can submit an application through the ADH online application system. Applicants should complete every required field, upload clear copies of their identification and certification, and retain their login information so they can check the application status.
Step-by-step application process
- Discuss eligibility with a physician. Make an appointment with an Arkansas-licensed physician who is willing to evaluate medical marijuana eligibility.
- Obtain the written certification. If the physician approves the request, the provider completes the state certification form.
- Apply with the Arkansas Department of Health. Submit the application, Arkansas identification, certification, and $50 fee online or by the method accepted by ADH.
- Wait for processing. ADH says applications may take up to 14 days after the department receives the application and payment. Incomplete or incorrect applications may take longer.
- Print and use the card after approval. Online applicants can print a copy of an approved registry card, and ADH also mails a hard copy.
A registry card is valid for up to one year, although a physician may specify a shorter period. Patients may begin a renewal application up to 60 days before expiration and must submit a new physician certification; the prior certification cannot be reused.
Rules for minors and caregivers
A designated caregiver may purchase and possess medical marijuana on behalf of a qualifying patient who is under 18 or who is identified as physically disabled on the physician’s certification. Caregivers must generally be at least 21, Arkansas residents, and pass a criminal background check. Parents applying to serve as caregivers for their own minor children are exempt from the background-check requirement but must still register and pay the application fee.
Caregivers apply separately from patients and receive a separate registry card. A caregiver may serve more than one patient, but must submit a separate application and fee for each patient.
Important restrictions
Registered patients may purchase up to 2.5 ounces of medical marijuana from a licensed dispensary during a 14-day period. Arkansas does not authorize registered patients or caregivers to grow their own medical marijuana, and products must be obtained through licensed dispensaries to receive the program’s protections.
Members of the Arkansas National Guard and the United States military are prohibited from obtaining an Arkansas medical marijuana registry card. Patients should also remember that workplace policies, federal restrictions, rules concerning firearms or housing, and laws against driving under the influence may continue to apply.
Arkansas’ 2024 medical marijuana expansion proposal would have broadened certification, telemedicine, home cultivation, and card-duration rules. However, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled on October 21, 2024, that votes on the proposal could not be counted because the ballot title did not adequately explain important provisions. The proposal therefore did not change the existing program.
For current forms, application instructions, qualifying conditions, and program updates, patients should rely on the Arkansas Department of Health’s medical marijuana resources rather than older third-party guides. A physician can help determine whether medical marijuana is appropriate, but only ADH can approve the state registry card.
