On June 26, 2018, more than 892,000 Oklahomans flooded the polls. They chose Kevin Stitt as the Republican gubernatorial candidate and Drew Edmondson as the Democratic one. An item on the ballot was State Question 788, which read in part, “This measure amends the Oklahoma State Statutes. A yes vote legalizes the licensed use, sale, […]
OMMA
Posted inNews
Commentary: Opioid rejection
At age 19, I was just one year into my military service when I was tasked, along with about a dozen guys my age, with pulling all of the food supplies off the USS Midway (CV-41) and restocking them onboard the ancient troop carrier from the 1930s that we would live on while the Midway […]
Posted inNews
Seeking clarity
Oklahoma Gazette submitted a list of questions regarding the current state of Oklahoma’s medical cannabis program to the Oklahoma State Department of Health based on the most common reader questions. Here are the responses, compiled by a number of Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority employees. Oklahoma Gazette: Can dispensaries still sell to patients when the OMMA […]
Posted inNews
Cover: Planting prosperity
Medicinal cannabis has been legal in Oklahoma for just over half a year, and this train has no brakes. Based on computations stemming from the amount of gross state tax collections of 7 percent, the industry has raked in over $18.1 million in April alone. That means a total of more than $43 million since […]
Posted inNews
Commentary: Clearing smoke
Nearly a year ago, just before passage of State Question 788, I wrote an article in Oklahoma Gazette about the historic demonization of cannabis and how political and industrial forces conspired to destroy the market for the plant. Many industrialists and their political allies, including major timber, agricultural and chemical interests, aligned against cannabis to […]
Posted inNews
Eviction notices
Three metro dispensaries have been told that they are too close to schools and have a month to move by Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA), the same agency that approved their licenses, apparently without confirming their proof of distance from those schools. The three dispensaries in question are The Gateway CBD & Dispensary, 4 E. […]
Posted inNews
Eating green
Starting later this month, all cannabis businesses selling food products will be required to hold food licenses. The license was required under existing state law and had nothing to do with the current legislative session or special regulations upon the cannabis industry. The deadline is April 26, according to Oklahoma State Department of Health. Dispensaries […]
Posted inNews
Challenging authority
Five days after House Bill 2612 was signed into law, it has a legal challenge. The petition was filed on behalf of plaintiff Leslie Ann Collum in Oklahoma County District Court on March 19. Collum is a medical marijuana license holder, registered nurse and the owner of Painted Nurse Apothecary, 3017 N. Lee Ave. She […]
Posted inNews
Unified plan
The first piece of medical marijuana legislation is now law. House Bill 2612, also known as the “unity bill,” was authored by Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Greg McCortney, R-Ada. It cleared the state House of Representatives on Feb. 28 with 93 voting yes and five opposed and then passed the Oklahoma Senate […]
Posted inNews
Healthy competition
The Oklahoma cannabis market is roaring, with the number of patients snowballing and dispensaries clambering for market share. As of Feb. 4, 51,978 patient, 348 caregiver and 3,333 business applications have been received, a total of 55,659 applications. Of those, 38,592 patient, 232 caregiver, 928 dispensary and 1,548 grower licenses have been approved, according to […]