Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — State Attorney General Dustin McDaniel today rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize marijuana for medical use.

McDaniel cited several problems with the name and title of a proposal submitted by Arkansans for Compassionate Care. He rejected an earlier version on March 14.

In a letter to campaign director Ryan Denham, McDaniel wrote that federal law bans marijuana and would supersede a state amendment.

“Your use of the word ‘legal’ fails to acknowledge that your proposed measure cannot completely legalize marijuana in Arkansas for medical purposes because the drug remains illegal under federal law,” the opinion said.

McDaniel wrote it’s difficult to fully summarize a document of nearly 8,700-words in a ballot title without being so long that it causes voters to violate voting-booth time limitations.

He wrote that the latest proposal was improved.

The attorney general must certify the proposed name and title of a ballot initiative before supporters can begin collecting signatures to place it before voters in the November general election.

Supporters of similar ballot measures have failed in previous attempts to qualify their proposals for the ballot. In 2004, a proposal by the Alliance for Reform of Drug Policy in Arkansas was certified but did not receive enough signatures.