Arkansas medical marijuana sales total $264.9 million in 2021
by January 8, 2022 11:19 am 3,299 views
Eligible Arkansans spent $264.9 million on medical marijuana in 2021 with the state’s 37 licensed dispensaries, and sales recently surpassed $500 million since the first dispensaries were opened in May 2019.
Tax revenue from sales since 2019 totals $57.349 million, with $34.5 million of that collected in 2021. The data was provided by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, the parent agency of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission.
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.
According to the report, the 37 dispensaries sold 40,347 pounds of medical marijuana in 2021. The Releaf Center (Bentonville) was the top selling dispensary for the year at 4,012 pounds. According to the report, the Arkansas Department of Health reports 79,476 active medical marijuana patient cards.
Following are the top 10 dispensaries based on medical marijuana sales in 2021.
• Releaf Center (Bentonville), first opened Aug. 7, 2019: 4,012 pounds
• Natural Relief Dispensary (Sherwood), March 17, 2020: 3,682 pounds
• Suite 443 (Hot Springs), first opened May 10, 2019: 2,899 pounds
• Plant Family Therapeutics (Mountain Home), first opened Feb. 3, 2020: 2,596 pounds
• NEA Full Spectrum (Brookland), first opened Dec. 9, 2019: 2,200 pounds
• Purspirit Cannabis (Fayetteville), opened Nov. 20, 2019: 1,968 pounds
• Green Springs Medical (Hot Springs), opened May 12, 2019 1,924 pounds
• Harvest (Conway) opened Oct. 11, 2019: 1,903 pounds
• Fort Cannabis (Fort Smith), opened Dec. 18, 2019: 1,603 pounds
• The Source (Bentonville), opened Aug. 15, 2019: 1,520 pounds
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.