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Arkansas Lawmakers Weigh Launch Delay, Taxes For Medical Pot

npr.org
Credit npr.org

Arkansas lawmakers are considering delaying the launch of the first medical marijuana program in the Bible Belt as well as an effort to impose additional taxes on the drug as they work on legislation implementing a medical pot measure voters approved this month.

The ideas are among several lawmakers are discussing for next year's session.

Republican Rep. Doug House says he's working on legislation giving agencies until early May rather than early March to adopt rules for medical marijuana. The Republican lawmaker said it would also change the deadline for the state to begin accepting dispensary applications from June 1 to July 1.

Republican Sen. Bart Hester says he's looking at legislation to impose an additional tax on medical marijuana, a move he says would help pay cutting income taxes.

Copyright 2016 KUAR

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