Oklahoma may be producing 64 times more marijuana than needed by licensed cannabis consumers, according to a study commissioned by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority.
The significant oversupply is likely funneling large amounts of marijuana out of state and adding to the illegal market, according to authority officials.
“They said they’ve never seen any state like this,” said Adria Berry, the authority’s executive director, speaking to The Oklahoman about the supply and demand report, which was made public Wednesday.
Cannabis Public Policy Consulting used data from the state’s new seed-to-sale tracking system and surveys of more than 1,300 licensed marijuana users, according to the report.
“The supply-to-demand ratio of regulated medical marijuana supply to regulated medical cannabis demand is 64:1,” the report states. “Using a general assumption that units of supply should not exceed two times the units of demand, the medical marijuana program has no less than 32 times more regulated marijuana necessary than licensed patient demand.”
Voters approved a medical marijuana program in 2018 that launched with no limits on the number of marijuana producers, sellers or users. Nearly 10% of Oklahomans have a license to use marijuana.
Some lawmakers and law enforcement agencies have long claimed the state’s medical marijuana industry is adding a significant amount of cannabis to the illegal market. The medical marijuana authority’s new report will likely bolster that claim.
“It is essential that we address this oversupply head-on, not only to ensure the integrity and sustainability of our medical marijuana market for our patients but to promote public safety and mitigate dangers that coincide with illicit marijuana activity for all Oklahomans,” Berry said in a Wednesday statement. (Full Story)