General Questions
Where are the dispensaries located?
The Arkansas Department of Health does not have dispensary information. Visit the following link for the dispensary information.
Where can I read the Medical Marijuana Amendment?
What information and forms are required when a patient applies for a Medical Marijuana ID card?
The following are required when submitting your application:
- The patient registry application form.
- The completed Physician Written Certification.
- Photocopy of the front of your Arkansas-issued driver’s license or state ID on a full sheet of paper.
- The nonrefundable application fees.
How long is my ID card valid?
Your registry identification card will be valid for up to one year from the date it is issued. Your card may be issued for less than one year if designated by your physician.
When can I renew my ID card?
You can renew your card up to 60 days prior to your card’s expiration date.
What is required for renewal?
You need the same documents for new applications and renewals:
- The patient registry application form.
- A new Physician Written Certification. Your previous certification cannot be used.
- Photocopy of the front of your Arkansas-issued driver’s license or state ID on a full sheet of paper.
- The nonrefundable application fees.
How long will it take for my renewal to be approved once I submit it?
It may take up to 14 days to process your renewal from the date we receive your application and payment. Incomplete applications or applications with errors will be returned and will take longer.
I live in another state, can I apply?
To apply as a visiting out-of-state patient, you must have a medical marijuana card or equivalent from another state. In addition, the condition(s) for which you were approved in another state must also be a condition(s) approved in Arkansas. You can submit an online application. The non-refundable application processing fee is $50. Application processing time is up to 14 days after you submit your application and payment. After your application is reviewed, you will receive an e-mail alerting you to log back in and print your card. Visiting patient cards are issued for 90 days per application.
Is my confidentiality protected when I apply and if I am approved for the use of medical marijuana?
Yes. The information received and records kept by the Arkansas Department Health Medical Marijuana Section are subject to all applicable federal privacy laws, are confidential, are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act and are not subject to disclosure to any individual or public or private entity, except as necessary for authorized employees of the department to perform official duties for the medical marijuana program. Law enforcement will have the ability to confirm only the validity of an ID card.
Can I use medical marijuana anywhere in Arkansas?
No. Using medical cannabis is prohibited in a school bus, on the grounds of any preschool or primary or secondary school, in any correctional facility, in any motor vehicle, in a private residence used at any time to provide licensed childcare or other similar social service care on the premises and in any public place where an individual could reasonably be expected to be observed by others. A public place includes all parts of buildings owned in a whole or in part, or leased, by the state or local unit of government. A public place does not include a private residence unless the private residence is used to provide licensed childcare, foster care, or other similar social service care on the premises. Using medical marijuana is also prohibited in a health care facility or any other place where smoking is prohibited by the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006 and knowingly in close physical proximity to anyone under the age of 18.
Are registry identification cards from other state medical marijuana programs valid in Arkansas?
A visiting qualifying patient may obtain marijuana from a dispensary with approval as a visiting patient.
Complete the visiting patient application.
A visiting patient application is $50.00 (non-refundable). If approved, a visiting patient may purchase medical marijuana in Arkansas for a 90-day period, per application.
May I obtain a qualified patient or designated caregiver registry ID card if I am a member of the Arkansas National Guard or Unites States military?
No. Legislation passed in 2017 prohibits members of the Arkansas National Guard and the United States military from obtaining a qualified patient or designated caregiver registry ID card.
How long does it take to process my application?
Processing time is up to 14 days from the date we receive your application and payment. Cards are mailed through the post office the next working day after the card is issued.
Will I be given a temporary card while my application is being processed?
The Arkansas Department of Health does not issue temporary medical marijuana cards. Patients who apply online can print a copy of their cards after their applications are reviewed and approved.
ID Card questions:
If my registry identification card is lost, stolen, or damaged what do I do and is there a fee to replace the card?
If the application was submitted online, you may print a replacement using your online account. If you do not have an online account, you may call our office and request a replacement card.
I received my registry identification card, but my name is misspelled (or has other incorrect information). What do I do?
You call our office to request a change to your card.
If my registry identification card expired and I didn’t submit my renewal application before the deadline, am I still eligible to purchase medical marijuana?
No. When your card expires, the legal protection offered by the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment is expired. You may still submit your renewal application. You will not be able to purchase medical marijuana until your renewal card is issued.
Will my card be emailed/mailed to me automatically?
A physical card will be mailed automatically to you once your application has been approved. Cards will not be sent over email. If you applied online, you could log on to the and print a copy of your card.
Questions about Medical Conditions:
What are the qualifying conditions?
- Cancer
- Glaucoma
- Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome
- Hepatitis C
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Tourette’s syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Severe arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Intractable pain which is pain that has not responded to ordinary medications, treatment, or surgical measures for more than six (6) months
- Severe nausea
- Seizures including without limitation those characteristic of epilepsy
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms including without limitation those characteristic of multiple sclerosis
- and any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the Department of Health
Can other medical conditions be added to the list?
A petition to add a new qualifying medical condition can be submitted. Petition applications are reviewed and forwarded for a hearing. The department shall approve or deny a petition within one hundred (120) days of submission of the petition. View petition information.
I have one of the debilitating medical conditions, am I automatically a qualified patient?
An official physician written certification must be obtained from a medical physician and submitted with the application.
Questions about Physicians:
Which medical physicians can certify me for medical marijuana?
The medical provider must be a Doctor of Medicine or osteopathy licensed in the state of Arkansas, have a controlled substances license on file with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), be in good standing to practice medicine in Arkansas, and have a bona fide physician-patient relationship with the patient they are certifying for medical cannabis.
Is there a list of doctors in my area that can give me a Medical Marijuana certification?
The department does not recommend physicians. Patients are responsible for locating their own physician.
Are physicians required to complete the written certification form if I have a qualifying debilitating medical condition?
No, a physician is not required to provide a patient with a certification.
Can a doctor complete a medical marijuana certification via telehealth?
Yes. A physician can complete medical marijuana recertification in compliance with the Arkansas Medical Board rules for telehealth.
When does the physician certification expire?
The physician certification is valid for 30 days from the date the doctor signs the form. If a patient gets a certification and fails to submit it to the ADH within 30 days, they must get a new certification.
Dispensary questions:
Do I have to buy my marijuana from one of the dispensaries?
Yes. To be protected under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, your marijuana must be purchased from one of the licensed Arkansas dispensaries.
Can I grow my own medical marijuana?
No. Qualifying registered patients and their designated caregivers cannot grow or cultivate medical marijuana. Marijuana-infused products must be purchased through the licensed Arkansas medical marijuana dispensaries.
How much medical marijuana may I possess as a qualified registered patient?
Qualified registered patients are allowed to purchase up to 2.5 ounces from a dispensary in a 14-day period. Each individual purchase counts against the patient’s balance for 14 days; the patient balance does not reset every 14 days. Patients who apply online can check their real-time balance by clicking the battery icon in the top right corner of the home page after they log in.
Will my insurance or Medicaid pay for my marijuana?
Please contact your insurance provider or Medicaid official for an answer.
How do I become a cultivator or dispenser?
Please contact the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission for information about licensure for cultivation. Please contact the Arkansas Beverage Control Agency for information about dispensary licensure. Questions about cultivation and dispensing requirements should be directed to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
Designated Caregiver questions:
What is a designated caregiver?
A designated caregiver is a person who is selected by a qualifying patient as the person authorized, on the qualifying patient’s behalf, to possess, obtain from a certified medical marijuana dispensary, dispense, and assist in the administration of medical marijuana. Caregivers must apply for a registry card. A designated caregiver is issued a medical marijuana registry identification card that allows him/her to possess up to 2.5 ounces of medical marijuana on behalf of their patient. It is not legal for caregivers to consume, by any means, medical marijuana that has been dispensed on behalf of a registered qualifying patient. A criminal background check is required for most caregiver applicants. Parents applying to be caregivers for their own children do not have complete a criminal background check.
How do I apply to be a designated caregiver?
Complete the designated caregiver application.
Do I need a caregiver card to purchase MMJ for my child?
Yes. Qualified patients under 18 years of age cannot purchase medical marijuana from a dispensary. The legal guardian or parent is required to register as a caregiver to buy medical marijuana for a minor.
Can a caregiver have more than one patient?
Yes. A caregiver may serve more than one patient. A caregiver must apply for a registry card for each patient and pay $50 for each registry card.
Can a patient have more than one caregiver?
Yes. Each caregiver must apply separately and pay the non-refundable application processing fees and complete a criminal background check if applicable.
Can a caregiver also be a registered qualifying patient?
Yes. A caregiver may be a registered qualifying patient.
Contact Information
Arkansas Department of Health
Medical Marijuana Section
4815 W. Markham St., Slot 50
Little Rock, AR 72205
Toll Free: 1-833-214-8619
[email protected]
