Two Tennessee District Attorneys General — a Democrat and a Republican — asked Arkansas voters to approve a ballot initiative for recreational cannabis Tuesday.
Arkansas Issue 4 would amend the state constitution to allow adults to possess and use cannabis in the state. If approved owning and selling cannabis would be remain illegal under federal law, but the law would allow licensed dispensaries to sell cannabis to adults beginning in March 2023.
Ahead of the vote, Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy, a Democrat, and Republican DA Frederick Agee, of the 28th Judicial District (Crockett, Gibson, and Haywood Counties) issued a joint statement in support of Issue 4.
We need to stop wasting time prosecuting marijuana, which is no more dangerous than alcohol, and refocus on violent crime.
Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy
“We need to stop wasting time prosecuting marijuana, which is no more dangerous than alcohol, and refocus on violent crime,” Mulroy said. “That’s true on both sides of the border, which people cross in both directions daily. This could also make things easier for persons with medical needs in West Tennessee, where medical marijuana remains illegal.”
Agee said Arkansas voters have ”an opportunity to right a wrong by voting to end marijuana prohibition which has been an utter failure for over 50 years in our country.”
“Marijuana prohibition much like alcohol prohibition has destroyed lives and ripped families apart particularly in communities of color,” Agee said. “It’s simply bad policy for our states and federal government to continue wasting taxpayer resources trying to defeat a plant.
It’s simply bad policy for our states and federal government to continue wasting taxpayer resources trying to defeat a plant.
28th Judicial District Attorney Frederick Agee
“Common sense regulation works and prohibition doesn’t. Vote to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas.”
The issue earned support from PGA pro golfer Jon Daly in a tweet earlier this month in which he said cannabis has been legalized for recreation ”in 19 states and the sky didn’t fall.”
However, the issue seems to be facing headwinds. University of Arkansas researchers found that 59 percent of those polled in its annual Arkansas Poll opposed recreational cannabis and only 41 supported it.
