Two companies are moving forward with opening medical marijuana dispensaries in Texarkana, Ark., while a third has opted to operate elsewhere.
RX Med Inc. plans to open a dispensary on the site of the former Electric Cowboy nightclub, 4423 E. Broad St.
Bloom Medicinals of AR LLC plans to buy Vincent's Fine Wine and Liquor at 410 Realtor Ave. and operate its dispensary there.
The state Medical Marijuana Commission approved Grassroots OpCo AR LLC for dispensary licenses in three geographical zones, including Zone 8 in Southwest Arkansas, which contains Texarkana. By law, the company can operate a dispensary in only one MMC zone, and Grassroots has chosen to open its business in Little Rock, in Zone 5.
RX Med originally planned to open its dispensary in Prescott, Ark., but at an MMC meeting last week in Little Rock, the commission granted the company's request to relocate to Texarkana.
The businesses' owners have been working closely with city staff to ensure they are in full compliance with all state and local laws, Arkansas-side City Manager Kenny Haskin said. In a statement, he sought to reassure residents.
"Arkansas voters expressed their desire for these businesses; it is now our responsibility to honor their wishes. Our citizens can rest assured that the mayor and our Board of Directors have taken measures to safeguard all citizens.
"The qualifications for owning one of these businesses are very stringent, and potential owners were rigorously screened before approval. Then, before sales can be made, purchasers' doctors must complete paperwork for them to obtain state cards that will allow them to acquire medical marijuana, much like a recommendation rather than prescriptions.
"This is a new venture for the whole state. If regulations require additions, corrections or improvements, I am sure Arkansas legislators will act accordingly," Haskin said.
Neither Grassroots nor Bloom Medicinals responded to requests for interviews. A spokesman for RX Med agreed to an interview after the company's purchase of its Texarkana property closes.
In July 2017, the Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors approved license fees for medical marijuana businesses operating in the city. Dispensaries will pay $7,500 for an initial city license and $11,250 a year for renewal.
At that time, the board also approved changes to the city zoning ordinance regarding medical marijuana.
State law requires dispensaries to be allowed in whatever zones retail pharmacies are located. The new local ordinance removes pharmacies from O-1, or office quiet, zones so marijuana businesses may not operate there. Office quiet zones allow certain businesses to locate among homes in residential neighborhoods.
Local zoning will now allow dispensaries in all commercial and industrial zones except those designated O-1 and W-1. But state regulations dictate that cultivation centers must be 3,000 feet and dispensaries 1,500 feet from any church, school or daycare.
That leaves only some manufacturing zones on the perimeter of the city, as well as some small pockets of land in more populated areas, where medical marijuana businesses can operate in Texarkana.