Arkansas medical-marijuana rules advance to second panel

LITTLE ROCK — The House and Senate public health committees on Monday reviewed the state Department of Health’s proposed rules for Arkansas’ medical marijuana program, which is set to launch with the acceptance of applications for cultivation and dispensary licenses June 30.

The rules have gone through a 30-day public-comment period and still need approval by the Administrative Rules and Regulations Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council.

That subcommittee is scheduled to consider the Health Department’s proposed rules, which govern medical-marijuana registration, testing and labeling, as well as medical-marijuana rules proposed by the state Department of Finance and Administration and the state Medical Marijuana Commission, during a June 13 meeting.

Robert Brech, chief counsel for the Health Department, told the public health committees Monday the proposed rules governing registration are taken mostly from the constitutional amendment that voters approved in November to legalize medicinal use of marijuana for people with certain health conditions.

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