Arkansas
Arkansas medical marijuana sales set new record in 2023 – Talk Business & Politics
Arkansas medical marijuana sales set a new record in 2023 with a 2.53% increase over 2022, and the number of Arkansans with active marijuana patient cards rose 8.4% in 2023, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).
The DFA reported posted Tuesday (Jan. 9) shows that medical marijuana sales totaled $283 million for the year, up from the previous record of $276 million in 2022. The state’s 38 dispensaries sold 62,227 pounds of marijuana in 2023, well above the 50,547 pounds in 2022. The state has licensed eight cultivators to provide product to the dispensaries.
The Arkansas Department of Health reports 97,374 active patient cards as of Jan. 9, up 8.4% from 89,855 at the end of 2022.
“In late 2023, Arkansas’ medical marijuana industry surpassed $1 billion in total sales since the first dispensary opened for business,” DFA spokesperson Scott Hardin noted in a statement. “From $31 million in sales in 2019 to $283 million in 2023, the industry has grown each year. The $25.6 million spent in December was the largest monthly amount in 2023.”
More than $120 million in tax revenue has been collected since has been generated since sales began in 2019. Revenue from medical marijuana sales reached $31 million in 2023, below the $32 million in 2022. Tax revenue doesn’t always mirror sales numbers, Hardin noted.
“The tax revenue doesn’t match well to sales. For example, there may have been large payments made by permit holders in 2022 due to audits from previous years. Those payments would then be included in the month in which it was paid in 2022. Additionally, there is a delay in which we receive the revenue. December was the largest month for sales in 2023. However, collection of that tax revenue will be listed in January 2024 figures,” Hardin told Talk Business & Politics.
Taxes collected are 6.5% of regular state sales tax with each purchase by a patient and a 4% privilege tax on sales from cultivators to dispensaries. Most of the tax revenue is placed in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences National Cancer Designation Trust Fund. The state also collects a cultivator privilege tax, which means tax revenue is not always tied to how much product is bought by consumers at dispensaries and the price for the product sold to dispensary customers.
The constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana for 17 qualifying conditions and creating a state medical marijuana commission was approved by Arkansas voters 53% (585,030) to 47% (516,525) in November 2016.
NATIONAL TRENDS
According to MJBiz, U.S. medical marijuana sales are projected to reach $11.1 billion in 2023, with all 2023 legal marijuana sales nationwide estimated to total $33.6 billion.
Washington, D.C.-based New Frontier Data, an analytics and data firm focused on the cannabis industry, reported in March 2023 a growing number of U.S. consumers of all forms of legalized marijuana. Following are a few key findings from that report.
• If the pace of state-level legalization continues in the absence of federal policy reform, legal cannabis sales are projected to reach $71 billion by 2030. If that pace stagnates, it would still reach $58 billion.
• An estimated 54 million U.S. adults will consume cannabis in 2023 across both legal and unregulated markets; that will grow to 69 million U.S. consumers by 2030.
• The total number of registered U.S. medical cannabis patients surpassed 4.5 million in 2022; there will be 5.2 million registered by 2030 – with no assumptions for new markets.
• The average U.S. consumer price per ounce of flower has declined 10% since 2010, dropping from $325.46 to $294.15.
Talk Business & Politics will update this story later today with a list of the top five dispensaries by pounds sold.
JONESBORO – Staff members at Arkansas State University were honored for their retirement
and milestone accomplishments during the annual Distinguished Performance Awards and
Service Recognition Ceremony in Centennial Hall of Reng Student Union on Monday, May
11.
Those who have or will retire during the current academic year include Malissa Davis,
Ellis Library, 35 years; Jimmy Crocker, Facilities Management, 28 years; Anna Warren,
Childhood Services, 19 years; Cameron Martin, Facilities Management, 14 years; Barbara
Bland, Childhood Services, 14 years; Charlotte Booker, Information Technology Services,
12 years; Mary E. Williams, College of Nursing and Health Professions, 11 years; and
Joe Boon, Facilities Management, 9 years.
Honored for 45 years of service was Sharon Lee, director of community engagement and
outreach for the office of Access and Accommodation Services.
Honored for 40 years of service was Sharon McDaniel, records management supervisor
for the Registrar’s Office.
Those honored for 35 years of service include:
Phillip Ladd, project manager in Construction Services, and Russ Hannah, vice chancellor
for Finance and Administration.
Those honored for 30 years of service include:
Natalie Turney, administrative assistant in the Department of English, Philosophy
and World Languages and Cheryl Richey, custodial coordinator in Facilities Management.
Those honored for 25 years of service include:
Woodie Sue Herlein, out-of-school time projects coordinator in Childhood Services;
Diana Courson, assistant director of Childhood Services; Laura Miller, director of
Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center; Mia Sheppard-Taylor, director
of Custodial Services; Eric Barnett, core network engineer and wireless administrator
of Information Technology Services; Clay Hurn, Mail Center; and Sharon Rye, hardware
engineer in Information Technology Services.
Those honored for 20 years of service include:
April Morris, Michael Glover, Mary Melton, Grady Clark, Amber Long Martin, Kayann
Brown, Dwain Roberts, Randy Wheaton, Amber Jones, Melissa Jackson, Cheryl Wright,
Christy Brinkley, and Jimmy Rousseau.
Those honored for 15 years of service include:
Ronnie Gilley, Christina Kostick, Carol Caldwell, Michael Bradley, Mark Freier, Shea
Harris, Thomas Wilson, Chris Boothman, Lora Gibson, Cary Estes, Stephanie Gibson,
Jesse Blankenship, Violeta Lugo, Alyssa Wells, Marsha Carwell, Vickie Gilmer, Edward
Haff, and Alexis Hurdle Besharse.
Those honored for 10 years of service include:
Michael Hagen, Tammy Daffron, Terri Teters, Mollie Menton-Ipsen, Dale McClelland,
Taylor Carpenter, Anne Merten, Avis Turner, Benjamin Housewright, Dallas Reece, Brandon
Tabor, Tia Caldwell, Tara Thomason, Petree Buford, Robert Davenport, Cathy Naylor,
Shannon Williams, Jackie Cox, Frazier Dixon, Devin Nelson, and Michelle White.
Those honored for five years of service include:
Jeri Knight, Josh Rogers, Taylor Shannon, Fen Yu, Deloris Holley, Penny Toombs, Greg
Umhoefer, Sasha Jones, Brittany Stokes, Stephanie Stanley, Caleb Lawson, Raven Person,
Maria Bedwell, Michael Bledsoe, Judith Poole, Suzette Hinkle, Leigh Ann Crain, Bryce
Moore, Andrew Shoffner, Lyle Jones, Derrick Lett, Ben Kutylo, Autumn Anderson, Stanley
Broadaway, Michael Alexander, Jennifer Keys, Julie Yarberry, Shauna Baker, Melissa
Dooley, Paula Kelley, Taylor Simmermon, Craig Estes, Kyle Ford, Fady Fara, Sylvia
Zavala Brandon, Nicholas Wallis, Olivia Clark, and JD Stallings.
Honorees from five years of service through 20 years received a certificate and a
pin. Those celebrating 25 years and up received a plaque in recognition of their dedication
to A-State.
Anya Lynch (left), a Farmington High School student, fields the ball with the help of Riley Sundquist, Farmington Junior High School student on Wednesday, May 6, during the Special Olympics Arkansas Area 3-Farmington softball skills and competition event at the Farmington Sports Complex. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Caleb Grieger)
Anya Lynch (left), a Farmington High School student, fields the ball with the help of Riley Sundquist, Farmington Junior High School student on Wednesday, May 6, during the Special Olympics Arkansas Area 3-Farmington softball skills and competition event at the Farmington Sports Complex. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Caleb Grieger)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — The Arkansas State Police (ASP) held their annual award ceremony today, to recognize bravery and service within their ranks.
Channel 7 provided coverage at the Benton event center this morning, as ASP awarded the troopers cross award, the distinguished Meritorious Service Award and the Medal of Valor to some of its finest members.
“Just a job, you got to do it. I mean, didn’t the day. You know, that’s what we’re trained for, and we’re thankful receive the highest quality of training, you know, in the state, and I’m thankful for the ones that come before us and taught us,” said Trooper Ethan Hiland.
This year, three troopers shared the honor of being named Arkansas State Police Trooper of the year, including Hiland.
Trooper First Class Brady Knuckles and Trooper First Class Jacob Price were recognized for their actions last June, during the arrest of a violent felon out of Michigan who had carjacked a woman at gunpoint.
The troopers saved that woman and killed the suspect in a stop near Carlisle.
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