This is a big night for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission. It’s the last meeting before they begin scoring the 95 cultivation facility and 227 dispensary applications which will be culled down to five cultivation facility licenses and 32 dispensary licenses based upon merit grading criteria.
The meeting will start with a discussion of the status of the FBI background checks which were a required part of the applications. We also expect to hear discussion about a timeframe for grading the applications and awarding the licenses.
All of the commissioners were present, Travis Story via phone.
Joel DiPippa is giving an update on the FBI background checks. Five individuals out of the entire list are having to go through resubmittals to complete their background check. Applicants have 30 days to clear background checks that come back with felonies. These applications will be submitted to the commissioners for grading, but they may have to be withdrawn after the grading process has started.
Joel is outlining two decisions that can be made tonight:
- Should the commission start with a cultivation facility batch of applications and then proceed to the dispensary applications?
- Should dispensary licenses be announced in batches by zone?
The applications will be ready for the commissioners to start scoring on December 15th. Each application will have an individual scoring sheet for each commissioner. DFA staff will collect scoring sheets from the commissioners and add each commissioner’s score to the total of 500 available application points. Dispensary applications will be provided to the commissioners by zone, but they cannot be announced by zone.
February 20th is the deadline for completion of cultivation facility application scoring.
Projected date of late April for completion of dispensary application scoring.
Joel DiPippa confirmed that 80 groups and individuals have requested copies of all applications once they are available to the public.
Commissioner Carlos Roman stated that a late January deadline for cultivation scoring to be complete is too aggressive, especially considering the multiple holidays during this grading period. Commissioner Roman suggested that February 26th be the target date for cultivation scoring – Chairperson Tillman agrees. Joel suggests that the commission meet approximately one week after the cultivation scoring is complete.
Joel DiPippa estimated that dispensary application scoring will take approximately three months.
Discussion came up about the timeframe for reviewing draft licensing rules for medical cannabis processors, distributors, and transporters. Commissioners Roman and Tillman did not want to start this process until after cultivation scores are finalized.
February 27th will be the next MMC meeting at 3:30 pm. At this meeting, the MMC will receive the names of the five highest scores for cultivation facility applications. After receiving these names, they will immediately announce them to the public. They will also start reviewing the draft rules for medical cannabis processors, transporters, and distributors. At this meeting, they will also agree upon a deadline for reviewing and scoring dispensary applications.
Joel DiPippa claimed that the state does not have an interest in getting involved in how cultivators obtain their initial medical cannabis seeds and clones from which to start cultivation.
In the event of a scoring tie, the commissioners will re-score the applications, and the new scores will prevail.
Motions Passed:
- Minutes from the previous MMC meeting were approved
- Applicants with delayed FBI background checks will be allowed to continue on in the licensure process
- February 20th will be the date by which the commissioners must have scoring of cultivation facility applications complete, by close of business that day (4:30 pm)
- February 27th will be the next MMC meeting, the topics for this meeting are covered above
I guess we are looking at July or maybe September for anything to open, IF there is a grower with a quick setup time. That’s just fantastic. Swell.
You do realize these things take time? We should be glad this is happening at all.
Honestly, that sounds a bit too ambitious even. Regardless, everyone has been working very hard to ensure the process is moving along and making sure it is implementing a program that can be successful and safe.
I read where over 80 groups and individuals have requested copies of the cultivation and dispensaries applications. I encourage this panel to NOT allow these applicants request for copies of such applications. These applications are filled with personal information such as personal financial statements, business financial statements, tax records, criminal background checks etc. I do not feel these are public records and should be help to the HIGHEST a level of privacy.
They will be redacted to not show any financial information, or information specified by the applicant at time of application. It’s the Freedom of Information Act and any applicants following the process at all would have known this was a part of it before applying.
Dispensary applications with growing facilities should have precedence if ultimate goal is to provide medicine. Cultivation centers cannot distribute.
The longer this process takes the longer it will take to generate revenue for the state. Patients will die or suffer in the meantime. Waiting or delaying clearly is not in anyone’s best interest. Might consider outsourcing repetitive low level decisions, which can be reviewed by the commission at regular meetings. Don’t fell the trees, haul the logs, saw the lumber, make the nails just to frame a house. Work smarter not harder.
I agree totally! I think they are just dragging their feet. Yes it takes time, but come on. We all know they never wanted it and they are in no hurry to give it to us. They are still grading papers. They don’t think they will be done until when???? How long do they think it takes marijuana to grow. Freaking months…. That’s how long. We probably won’t see ready for customer till next year! I have my Dr appt to get my mmj licence next week, it’s gonna be forever before I get to use it.
Andrea, the commissioners at the MMC are grading the applications as quickly as they can – they are all professionals who have full-time jobs. We want to get relief to patients as soon as possible, but this is just the frustrating but necessary time for waiting. We’ll have an industry starting on February 27th – it’s coming quickly.
They the despenceries can ship in from other states. They don’t have to wait on the cultivation of the mj.
Please keep in mind that any interstate shipment of cannabis containing THC is illegal.
Whatare theas people who are on the committee doing inbetween meetings?? twidling there thumbs ?? Well no one hasnt said anything about prospective shelf prices is there going to be a limit to how much will be charged per gram or are they going to allow them to price at there own descression im on ssd costing almost 180 a month for medicare and supplemental insurance and that comes out of 913 that dosnt leave a whole lot to buy medical marijuana especially if its 40 a gram and my insurance will not pay for it so i will be back to where i was before eat or die meaning either choose to eat or buy medicine medical marijuana will not help blood pressure or cholesterol, or blood sugar or pay for doctors visits i believe it will help with pain and stress anxiety but at what costs if you cant afford it .
Mike, we certainly share your concern about affordability for patients. Competition from within the industry and from the existing black market will keep prices moderated somewhat. Some companies are planning on announcing programs for reduced price medical cannabis to those who cannot afford it. We’ll have more information once licenses are awarded.
I was told by progressive medicine that it would be between $10-$20 a gram.
It will help with a lot of things. People have been able to get off most of their meds. It will be higher priced here because there’s no competition. We here will pay around 96 dollars for something when in Colorado it would be 36 dollars. We want have as many products to choose from either. That’s how it is in Florida.
Reumatoid arthritis is killing me….please hurry!
We’re certainly going to try – it’s on our list.
It’s April and we are still waiting in pain always.
I’m very sorry, Beverly. We certainly feel for you. It’s back in the hands of the Medical Marijuana Commission now.