Issue 4 – unlimited marijuana
On Wednesday marijuana advocate Melissa Fults hosted a press conference opposing marijuana Issue 4 at the Arkansas Capitol Building. Fults is a firm supporter of medical and recreational marijuana in Arkansas, but said she strongly opposes Issue 4.
In a statement, Fults said, “Issue 4 lets a greedy monopoly control marijuana in Arkansas. The way this measure distributes cultivator and dispensary licenses, the entire cannabis industry could be owned by as few as four to eight people who may not even live in Arkansas. That isn’t right.”
Fults pointed out that Issue 4 fails to expunge criminal records for drug offenders. “Issue 4 doesn’t expunge marijuana convictions. Growers will be making millions of dollars, and it will be legal for consumers to use marijuana, but the people whose lives have been ruined by marijuana convictions will continue to have their lives ruined by that criminal record.”
Fults said Issue 4 affects much more than recreational marijuana. “Under Issue 4, the same monopoly that controls marijuana cultivation would control hemp and CBD production as well. Issue 4’s definition of cannabis fails to exclude industrial hemp and CBD oil. This would take away hemp farmers’ licenses and put CBD stores out of business. Other states excluded hemp from their recreational cannabis laws, but Issue 4 fails to do that.”
Fults was joined by Family Council Action Committee Executive Director Jerry Cox, a longtime marijuana opponent. Cox released a statement, saying, “I’m pleased to be part of a bipartisan effort against marijuana amendment Issue 4. This amendment was cooked up by industry insiders from out of state. It writes a marijuana monopoly into our constitution. Issue 4 is the kind of swamp politics that Arkansans are sick of. Voters need to understand that even if you support marijuana legalization, Issue 4 isn’t the way to go.”