Marijuana sales near $100 million

The state revenue agency said it expected medical marijuana sales to top $100 million by the end of the month.

The milestone would come less than 14 months after the state’s first legal sale of marijuana last May in Garland County. Sales through Thursday reported by the 22 dispensaries in operation statewide surpassed 14,000 pounds and $92 million.

Green Springs Medical, the only licensed dispensary in the city limits of Hot Springs, continued to lead the state in sales, reporting 347.86 pounds sold from May 12 through Thursday that beat the ReLeaf Center in Bentonville by more than 37 pounds. Natural Relief in Sherwood had the third-most sales over the

31-day period, reporting 194.33 pounds sold. Sales of 2,640 pounds for more than $16 million were reported statewide.

Green Springs has been the statewide sales leader since opening last May. It reported 2,651.64 pounds sold in 13 months, including more than

950 pounds since mid-March. The 800 pounds in sales the ReLeaf Center reported over that time ranked second.

Suite 443 in unincorporated Garland County reported 751.04 pounds in sales since it opened two days before Green Springs, making it the first location to sell marijuana legally in Arkansas. It logged 164.72 pounds sold during the 31 days covered by the Department of Finance and Administration’s most recent sales report.

The Tax Procedure Act prohibits DFA from releasing revenue figures for individual dispensaries.

The Arkansas Department of Health had issued 60,028 patient cards as of Friday, a 16% increase since mid-May. Arkansas voters legalized marijuana for medicinal use in 2016, with 53% supporting the enabling amendment to the state Constitution.

More than two-thirds of respondents to a poll conducted last week by a media outlet and Hendrix College supported medical marijuana in Arkansas. Almost a quarter said they would support increasing the number of licensed dispensaries and cultivation centers.

The Medical Marijuana Commission licensed 32 dispensaries, but 10 have yet to open. Licensing three additional cultivation centers, which would give the state eight growers, is on the agenda of today’s commission meeting.

Nineteen percent of the 869 likely voters surveyed last week supported legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes.