Arkansas medical marijuana expansion fails to make November ballot

In Arkansas, an initiative to expand the state's medical marijuana program has failed to qualify for the upcoming November ballot due to insufficient valid signatures. The Secretary of State, John Thurston, announced that only 88,040 of the signatures submitted by the advocacy group, Arkansans for Patient Access, were deemed valid, falling short of the required 90,704. The proposal aimed to broaden the scope of medical professionals authorized to certify patients for cannabis, expand qualifying medical conditions, and extend the validity of medical cannabis cards to three years. The group had initially submitted over 150,000 signatures and was granted an additional 30 days to gather more after being informed of the shortfall in July. However, they claimed that the rejection of approximately 20,000 signatures was due to a last-minute rule change, which they described as arbitrary. Despite this setback, Arkansans for Patient Access expressed their determination to pursue legal action against the decision, emphasizing the strong public support for expanded medical marijuana access. The rejection of this measure follows a recent ruling by the state Supreme Court that blocked another ballot measure aimed at reducing the state's abortion ban. The Family Council Action Committee, which opposes the marijuana expansion, commended the Secretary of State's decision, anticipating that the final judgment may ultimately rest with the state Supreme Court. As the November election approaches, the landscape for marijuana legislation in the U.S. remains dynamic, with several states considering various measures related to recreational and medical marijuana use.