To qualify for a medical cannabis card in Arkansas, patients must:

• Be 18 years or older (minor patients may qualify with parental consent)
• Be diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition
• Have official written certification from a physician
• Show proof of Arkansas residency

Eligible conditions include:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Cancer
• Chronic arthritis
• Chronic muscle spasms (characteristic of multiple sclerosis)
• Chronic nausea
• Crohn’s disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• HIV/AIDS
• Intractable pain not responsive to traditional drugs
• Peripheral neuropathy
• PTSD
• Seizures (characteristic of epilepsy)
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Ulcerative colitis
• Any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the Arkansas Department of Health

Patients can petition the Department of Health to add specific conditions to the qualifying list. Note that members of the Arkansas National Guard and the United States Military are not eligible for medical marijuana.

Schedule a consultation with a certified physician through FadeMD. Complete the 10-15 minute evaluation and get approved for medical cannabis.

Once you are approved, you’ll register online with the state and submit an application. The state will process your application, notify you of your approval, and mail your card.

A $50, non-refundable fee must be paid by both patients and caregivers. Caregivers are also required to pay $37 for a background check.

To qualify for an Arkansas medical cannabis caregiver card, applicants must be at least 21 years old, care for a patient or minor, have no felony convictions, and possess state-issued ID proving residency. Caregivers must pay a $37 criminal history check fee, except for legal guardians of minors, who only need to pay a $50 caregiver registry card application fee.

Parents and guardians of pediatric patients must register as caregivers for their children with the Arkansas Department of Health, submitting necessary information and a signed declaration not to divert cannabis.

Arkansas allows caregivers to hold multiple cards for different patients and also to hold a medical cannabis license themselves.

To renew your Arkansas medical marijuana card through FadeMD, schedule a renewal appointment with one of our physicians. They will verify your continued need for medical cannabis and assist with the renewal process. We will notify you when your renewal appointment is approaching, or you can contact our Customer Service Department for assistance and to receive a renewal discount.

A medical marijuana card in Arkansas is valid for up to one year.

Patients are allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis every two weeks, which must be purchased at from a state dispensary listed under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act. Like the patient, a specified caregiver also has permission to possess up to 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis for the patient they monitor. Cultivation at home is not allowed.

The Justice Department proposed a new rule to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug, which would ease federal restrictions on cannabis if approved. This reclassification would not legalize or decriminalize marijuana nationwide but would place it on the same regulatory level as ketamine and anabolic steroids. Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it has "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." The proposed change would recognize marijuana as having "a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence."

The proposal initiates a months-long comment and administrative period before any changes take effect. This follows President Biden's 2022 request for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Justice Department to review marijuana's classification. HHS found credible scientific evidence supporting marijuana's medical use. The notice of proposed rulemaking reflects the attorney general's agreement with HHS's recommendation. President Biden hailed the move as "monumental," emphasizing marijuana policy as a priority of his administration, which has also worked to pardon those convicted of simple possession.