Our company, CSK hotels, a family business based in Fort Smith with roots in our community since 1980, will apply for cultivation facility and dispensary licenses in the River Valley with help from American Cannabis Company, an industry leader in safe and efficient cannabis cultivation and processing – our venture is River Valley Relief. One of our main motivators for becoming involved continues to be our family’s first-hand experience with the devastating effects of opiate addiction, and we intend to help turn the tide of abuse in our state.
Our commitment to work with patients and physicians:
No-Cost and Low-Cost Medicine for Patients In Need
River Valley Relief recognizes that there is a link between poverty and debilitating ailments and, although effective and safe, medical marijuana can be an expensive treatment option for patients as it is not covered by insurance. We recognize the burden this places on Arkansans, and we are committed to assisting those with a financial hardship. As many areas in our state have higher than average rates of poverty, aiding patients in need is especially important to us, and we are committed to providing safe access to quality medical marijuana for all patients through a Patient Hardship Financial Assistance Program, which will include no-cost and low-cost medical marijuana for patients who demonstrate need.
Patient and Physician Education
We will engage in a series of programs dedicated to educating patients and physicians about the medical benefits of and science behind marijuana.
To facilitate this educational programming, we plan to develop and implement a Continuing Medical Education (“CME”) series in affiliation with leading academic medical centers and hospitals in Arkansas. These events are designed and intended to draw a large audience of physicians, patients, and other medical professionals by offering marijuana-focused medical education from credible individuals and institutions. River Valley Relief will curate the educational component, secure nationally renowned experts and researchers in the field of medical marijuana as speakers, and support other general awareness efforts. This program will be developed to ensure professionals that focus on specific qualifying conditions, such as cancer, are able to understand the health and socioeconomic benefits that accompany legalizing medical cannabis.
Moreover, Arkansas is at a critical point in time regarding opioid abuse. Recent studies show medical marijuana providing a lot of hope on this topic, with observational studies finding correlations between states legalizing medical marijuana and a drop in painkiller prescriptions, opioid use, and deaths from opioid overdose. Our team is dedicated to educating the public about the nation’s epidemic of opioid overdoses and the benefits medical marijuana can provide, including working directly with local substance abuse service providers to advance dialogue and collaborate on harm reduction initiatives.
Research Assistance
We will develop academic partnerships with Arkansas colleges and universities to function as part of our research and education efforts with an overarching goal of improving community understanding and validating the success of the regulated medical marijuana programs in which we operate. We will assist both financially and materially in Arkansas-based research into medical cannabis. We will also seek out guest lecture opportunities at these schools and implement an internship program offering Horticultural / Plant Science / Chemistry / Biology Majors an opportunity to gain unique industry experience that directly aligns with traditional program curriculum.
In summary, River Valley Relief aims to do well while doing good in our state and our community through medical cannabis assistance programs for those in need, patient and physician education, and research assistance.
