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Gov. Hutchinson opposes recreational marijuana in Arkansas Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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PAUL: RIGHT NOW, 33 STATES AND WASHINGTON DC HAVE LEGALIZED MEDICAL MARIJUANA, WITH ARKANSAS BEING THE LATEST TO COME ONLINE WITH SALES. OF THOSE, TEN STATES HAVE ALSO GONE A STEP FURTHER BY LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL USE. GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON TOLD ME IN AN EXCLUSIVE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW HE DOES NOT WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN HERE. >> WE DON’T WANT THIS CHANGED FROM MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO RECREATIONAL USE MARIJUANA. THAT IS THE REASON WE ARE LICENSING THEM, THAT IS WHY WE ARE LICENSING THE TRANSPORTERS WE HAVE SOFTWARE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MONITOR THE SALES AS WELL. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PATIENTS WHO NEED THAT MEDICIN HAS IT AVAILABLE TO THEM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON’T WANT O TURN ARKANSAS IN TO A RECREATIONAL USE STATE, THAT BRINGS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH IT. PAUL: I ASKED THE GOVERNOR WHAT FEEDBACK HE’S GETTING NOW THAT SALES OF MARIJUANA HAVE LAUNCHED. HE SAYS PEOPLE WHO WANTED IT ARE HAPPY WITH IT AND SALES ARE BRISK. HE ALSO SAYS HE’S HEARING OF A SURGE IN NEW REQUESTS FOR PATIENT CARDS. IN FACT, HE TOLD ME THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS SEEING 300 NEW APPLICATIONS EVERY