More time given for Arkansas medical marijuana petitions

LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A campaign to legalize medical marijuana in Arkansas has been given 30 more days to circulate petitions after falling short of the signatures needed to get its proposal on the November ballot.

Secretary of State Mark Martin's office said Thursday Arkansans United for Medical Marijuana had fallen short of the 84,859 signatures from registered voters to put its proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot. Martin's office said the proposal had turned in 72,309 valid signatures, qualifying it for additional time to gather signatures.

The proposal would allow patients with certain medical conditions and a doctor's recommendation to buy marijuana from dispensaries. A competing medical marijuana proposal has already qualified for the ballot.

Arkansas voters narrowly rejected legalizing medical marijuana in 2012.