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Arkansas is home to many beautiful sights and natural marvels, we’re the Natural State for a reason. One new sight Arkansans might see in the landscape is the arrival of the tech giant Amazon. Seemingly overnight Arkansas land is a new hub for warehouses and supercenters, and our roads are paved for blue vans with Prime logos.
And a recent public release from the company suggests new opportunities will be available for Arkansas marijuana patients.
In this article we’ll cover everything you need to know about Amazon’s new strategy with cannabis, and how it might help or hurt Arkansas.
Amazon & Cannabis – A New Approach from Big Business
In the last 10 years Amazon has positioned itself at the top of the retail space worldwide. Becoming one of the world’s wealthiest companies, they’ve managed to swing into multiple industries, taken over huge brands, and acquired insane amounts of real estate.
And while the massively sized company has put down new roots in Arkansas, that’s not the only change to the company’s strategy to hit the media.
In June 2021, Amazon published a public notice that details a new policy on not only cannabis, but on cannabis legalization.
It’s not surprising that a large company looking to add more employees to their workforce would look at cannabis use differently in 2021.
Over 90% of the Nation believes in some type of legal marijuana program, and half of the country already has a medical marijuana program in place.
Amazon is a massive force, employing over 1 million people worldwide and over half a million in the U.S alone. It’s a no-brainer that more and more Americans are using medical marijuana, and that makes the workforce pool much smaller if you’re a company with anti-cannabis rules.
The south is seeing a new wave of Amazon warehouses and supercenters opening in their counties, proposing new job opportunities for local towns.
Though some may be excited about new jobs and faster Amazon delivery, others are looking at Amazon with some hesitation, the company has been in a number of ethically questionable headlines for bizarre working conditions, unfair wages, and lobbying the government for corporate agendas.
In the open letter Amazon declares they’re moving towards a new future with cannabis by not testing employees for marijuana in positions that aren’t regulated by the DOT, a first for the company that started as an online bookstore.
This should open the floodgates for medical marijuana patients looking for new entry level and management opportunities across the country.
Amazon Looks at Legalization – Supporting the MORE Act
Alongside Amazon’s internal policy change was a brief paragraph mentioning the company’s newfound support for the reintroduction of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021 (MORE Act), the federal legalization bill that failed last year.
In the letter they specify that their public policy team will be “actively supporting” the bill, though it’s probably best left to the imagination as to what their public policy team actually does, or exactly how they’ll be supporting the bill.
What is interesting about the change of direction for Amazon to back the MORE Act is that the bill is expected to fail again.
Many commentators with eyes on Capitol Hill agree that congress is
waiting for a bigger, better bill from Senator Chuck Schumer before they’re willing to pull the trigger on the MORE Act.
Then the question really is why is Amazon supporting a very specific, failing bill, rather than out rightly support the legalization movement?
Will Amazon Take Over Cannabis?
Maybe Amazon wants leverage in the More Act itself, perhaps they want to show support for legalization while making insignificant, impish political moves. That is certainly a strategy we’ve seen in the public sphere, appealing to consumers without any significant action behind the words.
Maybe Amazon is about to lift off the world’s biggest cannabis brand and pulverize everything in its path.
The “public policy team” are probably the only ones that really know.
But most agree that Amazon is not likely to move into cannabis business any time soon.
They tried to get into alcohol several times, failing at each try. It wasn’t until they acquired Whole Foods that they saw any marginal
success with alcohol. Since then, Amazon has confidently avoided industries with high amounts of regulation like alcohol, tobacco, and CBD.
Since Amazon doesn’t have a history of getting too involved with highly regulated industries, it’s probably safe to assume they won’t be taking over the cannabis world any time soon.
Amazon doesn’t show any signs of interest in the cannabis industry yet. Their main point of focus is on acquisition, they are a company that likes to acquire things. Equity, cash flow, real estate, and employees are only a few of the things Amazon likes to keep on hand in large numbers.
Supporting cannabis legalization comes in many forms, and perhaps more companies will take the approach Amazon has, by ending discriminatory practices against medical patients and working towards a better future for patients in the workplace.
Become an Arkansas Marijuana Patient
Qualifying Arkansas patients can schedule an appointment to meet with one of our certified physicians and get approved for medical marijuana treatment.
We’re dedicated to helping patients every step of the way, feel free to give us a call at 844-249-8714, and we can answer your questions about getting medical marijuana in Arkansas.
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
Helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at 844-249-8714, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
Check out Arkansas Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in Arkansas.
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