Arkansas medical marijuana sales on pace for record year
By Abner Sosa
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LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (KHBS, KHOG) — Medical marijuana sales in Arkansas are climbing at a record pace in 2025, with patients spending more than $193 million from January through August, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
Scott Hardin, a spokesperson for the department, said the increase is notable after last year’s slowdown.
“The biggest standout in this report is the fact that if you look at this period, compared to last year, we’ve increased by more than $10 million year to year,” Hardin said. “That’s a big story because we saw a decrease last year and assumed we might be seeing a slowdown. That has simply not been the case.”
The state reports more than 109,000 active patient cards and more than 52,000 pounds of cannabis products purchased so far this year.
Taxes collected on sales have topped $21 million in 2025, with more than $5 million generated in July and August alone.
On average, Arkansans are spending about $800,000 per day on medical marijuana products, Hardin said. If that pace continues, 2025 will be the state’s biggest year yet for cannabis sales.
A new law, Act 657, redirects part of the tax revenue to address food insecurity. The money will help pay down school lunch debt and support programs such as free or reduced-price lunches and food banks.
“They’ve decided that it primarily is going to go to food insecurity,” Hardin said. “That could mean reduced or free school lunches, food banks — they can really be creative with how they use that. And when you’re talking about already this year $21 million generated, that’s going to allow them to really have an impact on food insecurity across the state.”
Since medical marijuana became legal in 2019, Arkansans have spent more than $1.5 billion on cannabis products. The state has collected more than $105 million in tax revenue over that period.
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