Arkansas’ Alcoholic Beverage Control Division revoked a Hot Springs medical marijuana dispensary’s license Thursday, the first revocation of its kind in the five years medical cannabis sales have been legal in the state.
Dragan Vicentic, owner of Green Springs Medical Marijuana Dispensary, said in an interview that he will appeal ABC’s decision to its board. The appeal will allow the business to remain operational until the issue is resolved, according to a Department of Finance and Administration news release.
“The revocation is the result of ongoing violations, most recently for selling more than 1,800 expired products,” the news release states. “ABC enforcement agents conducted an undercover purchase of expired products in October 2023 following a verbal warning regarding these products.”
ABC issued the dispensary a fine after two inspections last year, Vicentic said, and he made a case for reducing the fine. He said the issues at hand were “fully explainable” and he was surprised at ABC’s response.
“I thought the fine amount would be reduced because of my satisfactory explanation, and the next thing I knew, the director asked for a revocation of the license, which I thought was very extreme,” Vicentic said.
Trent Minner, leader of the finance