Arkansas Medical Marijuana Patient Count Rises to 115,275, Up Over 5,000 From a Year Ago
- As of March 14, 2026, Arkansas has 115,275 active medical marijuana patient ID cards, an increase of 5,016 from the previous year.
- Medical marijuana sales in Arkansas hit a record $291.1 million in 2025, with dispensaries selling 79,223 pounds, surpassing the previous year’s totals.
- Medical marijuana was legalized in Arkansas with the 2016 Amendment 98, but the first dispensary opened in May 2019, marking the industry’s official start.
- The program continues to grow nearly a decade after approval, with increasing patient enrollment and a maturing market driving steady expansion.
Arkansas’ medical marijuana program continues to grow, with 115,275 active patient ID cards recorded as of March 14, 2026, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. That is up by 5,016 from the 110,259 active cards listed as of March 15, 2025, based on the state figures shown in the comparison provided. The increase marks another year of steady expansion for the state’s patient registry as more Arkansans continue to enroll in the program. The rising patient total comes after a strong year for Arkansas’ regulated marijuana market. According to a January report from The Marijuana Herald, medical marijuana sales in the state reached a record $291.1 million in 2025, with dispensaries selling 79,223 pounds over the course of the year. That topped the previous year’s total and showed renewed momentum for the market heading into 2026.
Arkansas legalized medical marijuana when voters approved Amendment 98, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016, on November 8, 2016. Even so, the rollout took time, with the state’s first dispensary not opening until May 2019. That dispensary, Suite 443 in Hot Springs, was the first to begin sales in Arkansas and marked the official launch of the state’s medical marijuana industry.
With patient numbers now above 115,000 and annual sales setting a new record in 2025, Arkansas’ medical marijuana system appears to remain on a clear upward path. The latest Department of Health figures show that, despite the program being nearly a decade removed from voter approval, enrollment is still climbing as the market continues to mature.