The Arkansas Farm Bureau has expressed opposition to a proposed amendment aimed at expanding access to medical marijuana, although its reasoning remains unclear. The amendment seeks to broaden the types of medical professionals who can certify patients for the program, allowing nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists to certify patients based on any debilitating condition, rather than just the existing 18 qualifying conditions. Additionally, it proposes extending the validity of medical marijuana cards from one to three years and eliminating the $50 charge. The Farm Bureau’s spokesman, Steve Eddington, stated that the opposition is based on the organisation’s policy positions, which currently do not directly address the amendment. The Farm Bureau has historically opposed marijuana legalisation efforts, focusing mainly on recreational use, which contrasts with the medical expansion being proposed.

The new ballot question committee, Arkansas Farm Bureau for a Safe and Healthy Arkansas, is one of several groups opposing the medical marijuana expansion. Other notable opposition groups include Stronger Arkansas, closely tied to Governor Sarah Sanders, and Protect Arkansas Kids, supported by the national group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. Despite lacking specific policies on the medical marijuana amendment, the Farm Bureau has long standing positions against marijuana legalisation for commercial motor vehicle licence holders. This amendment, however, does not involve recreational legalisation, which is a separate issue. For more details, visit Arkansas Times.