Illinois-based Green Thumb Industries (GTI) suffered a temporary setback in its effort to win a medical marijuana license in Arkansas when a judge denied the multistate operator’s request for a preliminary injunction to stop the issuance of a permit to another business.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Mary McGowan previously had issued a temporary restraining order against the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission, which GTI claimed improperly awarded a second dispensary license to cannabis company Native Green.
While a temporary restraining order often is a good sign of decisions to come, McGowan changed course after a hearing on the matter.
Green Thumb’s suit remains in play, however.
McGowan said no evidence was presented at the hearing on a preliminary injunction to convince her GTI was going to be financially harmed if Native Green is allowed to have the license while the suit is pending, Law360.com reported.
In other words, the judge said, Green Thumb hadn’t paid rent for a property or spent money based on an expectation it would receive a license.