Election Results: 2022 Arkansas Recreational Cannabis Legalization Initiative

On November 8th, Arkansas voted on Issue 4, a measure to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state. Now, with 84.6 percent of precincts reporting, The Associated Press projects Issue 4 will not pass, meaning adult-use cannabis will remain illegal in Arkansas.

Here were the key components of Arkansas’s recreational cannabis initiative:

  • It would have legalized the use of cannabis by adults aged 21 years and older.
  • It would not have allowed residents to grow their own cannabis at home.
  • Medical cannabis businesses currently in operation would have been able to open adult-use cannabis stores.
  • A lottery would determine who would receive retail licenses.
  • The state would have been able to tax cannabis products with a 10 percent supplemental tax on top of state and local taxes.
  • Local governments would have been able to prohibit retailers from opening shops if residents in their respective jurisdictions voted for prohibition.

Medical cannabis remains legal in the state of Arkansas.

See GreenState’s map of cannabis legality by state here: