LITTLE ROCK — Dozens of medical professionals from around Arkansas are backing a proposal that would make the state the first in the South to legalize medical marijuana.
Arkansans for Compassionate Care on Thursday released a list of 79 medical professionals from around the state who support the proposed initiated act on next week’s ballot.
The measure would allow patients with qualifying conditions to buy marijuana from nonprofit dispensaries with a physician’s recommendation.
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Medical Marijuana in Arkansas
The group announced the medical professionals’ support at a news conference that featured Steve Jenison, chair of the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Advisory Board. Jennison said Arkansas’ proposal closely mirrors New Mexico’s medical-marijuana law.
A group of doctors last week announced their opposition to the proposed act.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana in some form.
Read more in Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette obtained the following list and statement released Thursday by Arkansans for Compassionate Care. According to Arkansans for Compassionate Care, these 79 medical professionals signed statements of support for Issue 5 containing the following language:
Arkansas Doctors Who Support Issue #5, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act
Licensed medical practitioners should not be punished for recommending the medical use of marijuana to seriously ill people, and seriously ill people should not be subject to criminal sanctions for using marijuana if the patients’ medical professionals have told them that such use is likely to be beneficial.
Source: Arkansans for Compassionate Care
Gordon Akin, Internal | Paragould
Michael Anreder, Pathology | El Dorado
Susan Balke | Mariana
Norma Basinger, GYN/Phlebology | Fort Smith
Stuart Benson, Internal | Bentonville
Douglas Bernard, Family Med | Batesville
Lawrence Bigongiari, Diognostic Radiology | Hope
Jesse Bradley, Podiatry | West Memphis
Ronald Brimberry, Family Med | Springdale
John Butler Chiropractic | Magnolia
Debra Callahan, Chiropractic | Jonesboro
William Carbary, Chiropractic | Little Rock
Ian Cawich, Cardiology | Little Rock
Ira Chatman, Pain Management | Mountain Home
Charley Chu, Optometry | West Helena
Joe Colclasure, | Little Rock
Chet Crawford, Family Med | Fayetteville
David Crittenden, Nephrology | Fayetteville
James Croom, Internal | Mountain Home
Deborah Dawes, Psychology | Berryville
Craig Dinger, Family Practice | Eureka Springs
Van Dunn, Optometry | Dumas
William Frederick, Opthalmology | Helena
Deanna Garretson, Chiropractic | Mountain Home
Phillip Garretson, Chiropractic | Mountain Home
John Giblin, pediatrics/research | Little Rock
William Goodin, Psychiatry | Batesville
Jerry Grant, Family Med | ElDorado
Janice Gunnels, Internal | Hot Springs
Latrisha Hall, Family Med | Pine Bluff
Phillip Hardin, Dermatology | Mountain Home
Abeer Hashmi, Family Med | Maumelle
Salman Hashmi, Family Med | Maumelle
Hugh Higginbotham, Internal | Fayetteville
Stephanie Ho, Family Practice | Ft. Smith
Roland Hollis, Family Med | Paragould
Robert Hurst, Optometry | Bentonville
James Jaros, Optometry | North Little Rock
Anna Kahn, D.C. | Harrison
Shaun Kahn, D.C. | Harrison
Qaisar Kahn, Cardiology | Batesville
Manuel Kelley, Family Med | Pine Bluff
Andrew Koehler, Pediatrics | Fayetteville
Pattie Kymer, Anesthesiology | Little Rock
Mark Lazenby, Chiropractic | Blytheville
John Lee, ENT | Rogers
Mathew Margolis, Opthalmology | Jonesboro
Stephen Marks, OB-GYN | North Little Rock
Adriane Martin, General Surgery | Hot Springs
James Martin, Family Med | Omaha
Hosea McAdoo, Radiology | Sherwood
Theresa McCallie, General Surgery | Magnolia
Samuel Merideth, Ortho Surgeon | West Memphis
Liv Miller, Neuropsychology | North Little Rock
Joseph Mizelle, Psychiatry | Hot Springs Village
Shirolyn Moffett, Women's Health | Harrison
Earl Montgomery, Gynocology | Jonesboro
Donald Patrick, Thorasic & Vascular surgeon | Searcy
Marvin Poole, OB-GYN | Mount Ida
Maria Porter, Pathology | Little Rock
Venkata Prayaga, Cardiology | Russellville
Brian Reilly, Chiropractic | Hot Springs
Cara Riley, Internal | Bentonville
Sarah Rowden, Chiropractic | Rogers
Barbara Sandefur, Radiology | Little Rock
Franklin Selman, Eye Care | Magnolia
Mary Shaver, Nephrology | Conway
Marvin Singleton, ENT | Fayetteville
Jason Smith, ENT | North LIttle Rock
Janet Stannard, Psychiatry | Conway
Scott Stern Oncology, | Little Rock
Stacy Tait, Anesthesiology | Fort Smith
Sue Ulmer, Internal | Little Rock
Srini Vasan, Oncology | El Dorado
Mary Wagner, Psychiatry | Paragould
Carlotta Wells, Podiatry | Magnolia
Travis Wyly, Chiropractic | England
Thomas York, Chiropractic | Morrilton
Thomas Youngblood, Pediatrics | Bentonville
Editor's note: The AP reported those on the list of supporters as "doctors". We have changed this term throughout its story to accurately reflect those individuals more broadly.