arkansas marijuana Archives

**Legislation to allow the Arkansas Department of Health to reschedule marijuana once there’s a change in federal law has passed the state’s full legislature.**

House Bill 1402, which has no immediate impact on Arkansas marijuana laws, was passed by the Senate with unanimous 31 to 0 vote. The vote in the House of Representatives was also unanimous, 85 to 0. The measure now goes to Governor Asa Hutchinson (R), who can sign it into law, allowing it to become law without his signature or veto it (if he does veto it the legislature can override it with a 2/3rds vote).

Under the proposed law, Arkansas Code § 5-64-201(d), “concerning the duties of the Director of the Department of Health concerning the scheduling of a controlled substance”, would be amended to add a new subdivision to read as follows:

Arkansas Marijuana Possession Laws:

Less than 4 oz (first offense)	Misdemeanor	Incarceration: 1 year or less	Fine: $2,500
1 – less than 4 oz (subsequent offense)	Felony	Incarceration: 6 years or less	Fine: $10,000
4 oz – less than 10 lbs	Felony	Incarceration: 6 years or less	Fine: $10,000
10 – less than 25 lbs	Felony	Incarceration: 3* – 10 years	Fine: $10,000
25 – less than 100 lbs	Felony	Incarceration: 5* – 20 years	Fine: $15,000
100 – less than 500 lbs	Felony	Incarceration: 6* – 30 years	Fine: $15,000

For further information on Arkansas marijuana laws – including penalties for distribution and cultivation – click here. For recent updates to Arkansas marijuana possession laws and other Arkansas-related stories, click here.