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Committee considers patient-access changes for medical marijuana; delivery and drive-through provisions defeated on roll call
Summary
A bill to modernize aspects of the medical marijuana program—allowing dispensary invitation-only tours, drive-through dispensing for preordered patient purchases, and reducing delivery-driver requirements from two employees to one with security measures—was presented; the committee rejected the bill on a roll call.
Sen. Joshua Bryant presented House Bill 1889, which the sponsor described as a patient-focused modernization of the Arkansas medical marijuana program. Key provisions included authorization for invitation-only tours of dispensaries for stakeholders, allowing a drive-through window for preordered dispensing similar to pharmacy models, and reducing delivery driver staffing from two employees to one if GPS tracking and security protocols are in place.
Bryant said the changes aim to increase transparency and access for elderly and mobility-impaired patients: "Medical marijuana patients are typically elderly, disabled, mobility impaired and entering a dispensary can sometimes be challenging," he said, noting the drive-through model had been used during the COVID era. The proposal also would allow one person to conduct deliveries when vehicles and staff meet specified security and tracking requirements.
David Potter from the enforcement division (ATC/commission enforcement) said the present rules require verification that the recipient is the registered patient or the patient's caregiver and that deliveries are tracked in the state's system. He told the committee that verification and tracking requirements are already in place and that dispensaries currently operate with two-person delivery teams; the bill would allow a single driver provided the statutory security requirements are met.
An industry representative, Bill Paschal (Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association), testified that delivery staffing costs are substantial—about $50,000–$70,000 per driver—and that allowing a single driver with additional security measures would reduce costs for small businesses.
The committee moved the bill, but a roll-call vote recorded in the transcript showed mixed yes and no votes and the clerk announced the bill did not pass.
