Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has unveiled a plan to use tax revenue from the state’s medical marijuana sales to provide free breakfast and lunch to all public school students. The announcement came during her State of the State address on Tuesday, where she highlighted the proposal as part of a broader initiative to support low-income families and ensure sustainable food programs.
“We will also use those funds to make school breakfast in Arkansas completely free for any student that chooses to participate,” Sanders said.
This plan marks a shift in focus for Sanders, a Republican who has historically resisted cannabis policy reform. Notably, she opposed a 2022 ballot initiative to expand Arkansas’s medical marijuana program, a measure that was ultimately blocked by the state Supreme Court. A survey conducted before the court’s decision indicated strong voter support for the initiative.
Despite her opposition to broader cannabis legalization, Sanders has shown a willingness to support Arkansas’s existing medical marijuana program. In 2023, she signed legislation clarifying that medical marijuana patients could obtain concealed carry licenses, signaling some openness to modest reforms.
The state’s medical marijuana program, launched in 2019, has been more successful than anticipated, with over 102,000 residents registered as patients as of May 2023. Tax revenue from the program has become a significant resource, now poised to fund critical social programs.
The governor’s proposal aims to address food insecurity among Arkansas students, particularly those from low-income families. It builds on the state’s existing food benefit initiatives and positions the cannabis tax revenue as a sustainable funding source for years to come.
Sanders’s plan highlights the potential for medical marijuana revenue to benefit public services beyond healthcare, a move that could garner bipartisan support. However, it also underscores the state’s mixed record on cannabis policy, as Arkansas voters narrowly defeated a 2022 ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults.
If implemented, Sanders’s proposal could serve as a model for leveraging cannabis revenue to address pressing social needs, even in states with conservative leadership.
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