Arkansas Democrats Include Medical Marijuana on 2016 Platform

Two initiatives for medical marijuana have been seeking approval for the November ballot. Speeches were given in hopes of approving a platform plank for medical marijuana. The plank specifically requests “the development of a responsible medical marijuana program that will receive patients in need of such relief the freedom to access this remedy.”

Although the Democratic Party has agreed to include medical marijuana on its 2016 platform, it has not said which initiative will be approved, according to Arkansas Online.  In terms of preference, Arkansans for Compassionate Care campaign manager Melissa Fults shows support for the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act.

Party spokesman H.L. Moody said, “It’s an important step in our state’s care of patients with certain critical illnesses. There’s a lot of evidence that shows sometimes that’s the only thing that works. We think that if that is the case for patients, then that sort of treatment should be available to them legally.”

In response to the state’s language regarding medical marijuana, Fults said, “I think there are a lot of candidates that have wanted to come out in support of medical cannabis and this gives them an incentive, or maybe more permission, to come out publicly in support.”

Democrat Conner Eldridge said, “I see no legitimate reason to deny access to marijuana for people like my stepmother, who passed away from a recurrence of breast cancer in 2010. As a prosecutor, I believe law enforcement resources ought to be directed to far more serious offenses, including large scale drug trafficking involving methamphetamine, heroin, prescription drugs, and cocaine.”

The Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act is written to include roughly 56 qualifying conditions. The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment approves 21 conditions. Challenges to the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act are attempting to block the act from making it to the ballot, although it has already been approved. The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment is still awaiting the completion of petition signature validation.