Campaign For Recreational Marijuana In Arkansas Breaks Fundraising Records; Polls Show Cracks

By Hunter Field, Arkansas Advocate

November 3, 2022

The campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas is already the most expensive ballot initiative in Arkansas history.

The sponsor of Issue 4, Responsible Growth Arkansas, reported Tuesday nearly $12.4 million in spending to pass the constitutional amendment.

Even with a week until Election Day, that was millions more than any ballot-initiative campaign had reported in the past, an Advocate analysis of public campaign finance data found.

The next-highest spender was the campaign to legalize casinos in the state in 2018. A pair of ballot-question committees spent roughly $9.7 million on that successful constitutional amendment that permitted new casinos in Jefferson and Pope counties as well as the expansion of race tracks at Oaklawn and Southland into full-fledged casinos.

Responsible Growth has also faced a well-financed opposition group. While less than a fifth of the pro-cannabis group's haul, Safe and Secure Communities has raised $2.3 million and spent $2.2 million to oppose Issue 4.

That's the fourth most ever spent on one side of a ballot issue, and the most ever spent in opposition to an initiative. The next most was the $1.8 million spent to defeat a proposal to allow alcohol sales statewide in 2014.

RELATED: The 60% question: Is Issue 4 Arkansas’ last shot at recreational marijuana?

Donors

Responsible Growth's money has come almost entirely from the the existing medical marijuana industry, which stands to benefit greatly from the market structure contemplated by Issue 4.

What would the Arkansas Adult Use Cannabis Amendment do?

• Allow those 21 or older to possess up to one ounce of cannabis for personal use, beginning March 8.
• Issue eight “Tier 1” cultivation licenses to the existing medical marijuana cultivators in Arkansas.
• Issue 12 “Tier 2” cultivation licenses, which would be allowed to grow no more than 250 mature plants at a time.
• Issue 120 adult use dispensary licenses. The first 80 licenses would be granted to the current 40 medical marijuana dispensaries.

Of the $8 million raised by the group in the period covered in the pre-election report due Tuesday, just $900 came from outside the cannabis industry.

Several Arkansas medical marijuana companies that grow and sell the drug have each donated $1 million or more to Responsible Growth.

The group has spent the bulk of its money on the ads that have blanketed the state on television, radio and online in recent weeks.

Safe and Secure Communities has received most of its money from wealthy conservatives. Ronald Cameron, CEO of Arkansas-based Mountaire Farms, one of the country's largest poultry companies, has contributed $1.25 million.

The anti-cannabis group also received $750,000 from Billionaire Richard Uihlein, founder of shipping and business supply company Uline and a frequent donor to conservative causes.

Safe and Secure Communities has also spent most of its funds on advertising.

Polling

Despite Responsible Growth's record spending, public polling trends have not been favorable.

The Arkansas Poll, released annually by the University of Arkansas Political Science Department, found only 41% support for Issue 4 among the 801 Arkansans it interviewed by phone during the second half of October.

When Talk Business and Politics first polled the issue in September, it found 58% of 834 likely voters supported Issue 4.

Talk Business’ most recent poll in mid-October showed the margin has slimmed considerably, with 50.5% of the 974 likely voters surveyed in favor of Issue 4.

The Arkansas Advocate is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to tough, fair daily reporting and investigative journalism that holds public officials accountable and focuses on the relationship between the lives of Arkansans and public policy. This service is free to readers and other news outlets.