Cannabis commission authorizes River Valley permit, Jonesboro dispensary relocation

COMMISSION MEETING: The state Medical Marijuana Commission approved River Valley Relief's growing license and authorized NEA Complete Spectrum's move to Jonesboro.

The state Medical Marijuana Commission authorized a license today for an embattled Fort Smith farmer after the commission's attorney blasted an opposing lawyer and informed commissioners a denial could get them in problem with the state Supreme Court..

The commission authorized the renewal of a cultivation permit for River Valley Relief Cultivation, the Fort Smith marijuana manufacturer who had its authorization revoked in 2015 prior to an appeal to the state Supreme Court put the matter on hold..

The commission must approve authorizations for each of the state's marijuana services before June 30. The commission authorized nearly all of them at its meeting last month but it left River Valley, the one with the most questions surrounding it, for today's meeting..

An attorney for River Valley sent out a letter to the personnel of the Alcoholic Beverage Control department, which manages the market, explaining that the commission ought to authorize the authorization. Joseph Falasco said in the letter that stopping working to renew the permit would violate the Supreme Court's order to keep the status quo in the event while the matter is before the court..
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Abtin Mehdizadegan, an attorney for the plaintiff in the Supreme Court case, sent out a letter, advising the commission that it ought to not renew the authorization. Mehdizadegan sent his letter straight to the commissioners and not to the ABC staff, which the commission's lawyer, Julie Chase, stated was highly impermissible, extremely unusual and less than professional.

Chase, a lawyer from the chief law officer's office which represents the commission, stated it is incorrect for an opposing attorney to get in touch with another attorney's customers. Chase also encouraged the commissioners that they were not lawmakers who are offered to be lobbied or contacted beyond commission procedures..
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Chase explained the license renewal process as a ministerial function of the commission and stated the commission did not have discretion regarding whether to authorize it. If the service had actually not completed the application appropriately, she stated the only factor not to renew an authorization would be. Chase said she examined all of the documentation prior to the meeting and it was all in place and had been vetted by the personnel..

Chase said a denial of the license might get the commission a contempt charge from the state Supreme Court which the commissioners might be found in contempt separately..

The commission authorized the renewal of the license, with one commissioner ballot no..

Dispensary move approved.
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The commissioners voted to authorize NEA Full Spectrum's request to move from Brookland to a Jonesboro place about five miles from CROP dispensary after three months of factor to consider..

The proposed location at 3603 Hudson Drive in Jonesboro is less than 1,500 feet from Families Inc., which offers behavioral health services and counseling. The commission's rules forbid dispensaries from finding within 1,500 feet of schools, churches, day cares and centers for individuals with developmental disabilities. The ABC determined Families Inc. did not fulfill that meaning..

Lawyer Annie Depper, representing CROP, told the commission Families Inc. supplies services to children and individuals with developmental impairments which approving the location would be "flexing" the rules and setting a precedent..

One commissioner stated he was concerned by NEA Full Spectrum's several requests to alter location prior to making a motion to reject the transfer of area. The motion stopped working when no one seconded it. Another commission made a movement to authorize the transfer which motion passed..

The commission also approved a request by The Greenery dispensary to move from 4520 Phoenix Ave. in Fort Smith to 4410 Phoenix Ave.

The commission's next conference will be at 4:30 p.m. on July 13.