The SourceOUT OF THE DARKNESS: Staff at The Source hang temporary lights after losing power.
The storms that blew a path through Northwest Arkansas this week left The Source dispensary without power for days and hurled the dispensary’s grow operations into regulatory uncertainty.
Without its normal lights that regulate the plants’ growth cycles, the dispensary’s immature plants could produce flowers before they’re scheduled. That would likely place the dispensary above the state’s limit of 50 mature plants that dispensaries can grow at a time.
Advertisement
The dispensary has so far not found any immature plants that have begun to flower, but will need to continue evaluating over the next week, according to staff.
Scott Hardin, spokesman for the Alcoholic Beverage Control, which regulates the state medical marijuana industry, said the issue is unprecedented and that ABC would not require the dispensary to chop down plants to stay under the 50-plant limit.
Advertisement
“ABC would not issue violations for a scenario the dispensary is facing as a result of weather damage and loss of power,” he said.
A batch of storms including tornadoes tore through Northwest Arkansas in the early morning hours Sunday, leaving The Source with minor structural damage and no electricity.