Local dispensary crosses 2,000-pound mark

The sole medical marijuana dispensary inside the city limits continued to lead the state in sales over a nine-day period this month as it became the state’s first dispensary to sell 2,000 pounds, according to the state revenue agency’s latest report.

Green Springs Medical sold its second 1,000 pounds in about half the time it took to sell its first 1,000, reporting 2,027.63 pounds sold through April 16. The Seneca Street location reached the 1,000-pound mark in December after opening May 12.

Green Springs reported almost 100 pounds in sales from April

8-16, outpacing the second leading dispensary over that time by about 25%. The Releaf Center in Bentonville reported 72.79 pounds to finish second. Acanza in Fayetteville was third with

44.31 pounds.

Suite 443, Garland County’s other licensed medical marijuana seller, reported 23.69 pounds over that time. The Malvern Avenue location, which is outside the Hot Springs city limits, led the state’s foray into medicinal marijuana, making the state’s first legal sale of the drug May 10 and reporting 485.44 pounds in total sales through April 16.

Green Springs was the state’s sales leader in mid-March, reporting 80 pounds sold from March 16-22, and late March and early April, reporting 154.23 pounds sold from March 23 through April 7. The dispensary’s CEO said last month that it serves about

500 patients a day.

The Tax Procedure Act prohibits the Department of Finance and Administration from releasing revenue figures from individual dispensaries, but the 21 locations in operation statewide reported

$63.37 million in sales on 10,050 pounds sold through April 16. The Arkansas Department of Health had issued 47,473 patient cards as of Friday that certify cardholders have a health condition

qualifying for medical marijuana treatment.

Arkansas voters legalized marijuana for medicinal use in 2016, but 11 of the 32 dispensaries licensed statewide have yet to open. DFA said Friday that its Alcoholic Beverage Control Division had approved a 22nd dispensary, Comprehensive Care Group in West Memphis. All four dispensaries licensed for Zone 6, which includes Garland, Hot Spring, Montgomery and Saline counties, are in operation.