Tag: Oklahoma

Oklahoma has extended its moratorium on new medical cannabis licenses until 2026, Tulsa World reports. The legislation does allow the state Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) to end the moratorium if its leadership “determines all pending licensing reviews, inspections or investigations are complete.” The state’s moratorium has been in place for more than a year and thousands of license reviews remain pending, the report says. Michael Kimball, OMMA communications manager, told the World that it’s “hard to imagine” the moratorium ending early. According to state… Read more.

Times are a changin' as they say. Oklahoma, the Wild West, no pun intended, of cannabis, is starting to crackdown on its over-exposed legal cananbis program. While the population has inched up, Oklahoma approved over 2,600 medical marijuana licenses and is now trying to get recreational cannabis started in the state.  With over 9,000 marijuana cultivation licenses issued as well, it was a well known secret that cannabis grown in Oklahoma was ending up in other states. Oklahoma's new vigorous regulatory efforts within the… Read more.

A crackdown by authorities in Kay County, Oklahoma led to the confiscation of 4,800 pounds of cannabis and five businesses shut down, KOCO reports. The operation was led by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) and was prompted by both routine inspections of licensed medical cannabis businesses and civilian complaints.    Mel Woodrow, chief of enforcement and compliance at OMMA, told KOCO that the action was the first time the agency had conducted such an operation.   The crackdown comes as Oklahoma officials try to reign… Read more.

Over the last two years, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) has shut down more than 800 unlawful cannabis farms operating under the guise of the state’s medical cannabis law, KFOR reports. The crackdowns have led to more than 200 arrests and the seizure of nearly 7,000 pounds of cannabis.  Mark Woodward, spokesman for OBN, told KFOR that the agency’s enforcement actions are focused on “out-of-state” illegal operations that allegedly have ties to international crime networks, including groups from Russia, Bulgaria, Armenia, and Serbia.… Read more.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court this week heard arguments on a lawsuit filed last month by a coalition of cannabis companies who argue that a large business fee increase, which went into effect in June, is illegal because it’s tantamount to a tax hike. The fee increase undergirding the lawsuit came from House Bill 2179, approved by the Oklahoma Legislature last year. The marijuana industry has been vowing to fight the measure for months. Jed Green, director of trade group Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action,… Read more.

A lawsuit has been filed in Oklahoma challenging the new law that increases fees for medical cannabis businesses in the state, KFOR reports. The law, intended to crack down on illegal medical cannabis operators in the state, took effect last month and created a tired fee schedule for industry operators from $2,500 to $50,000.  Jed Green, a cannabis advocate and plaintiff on the lawsuit, told KFOR the law “is hitting the good guys and it’s only helping the bad guys.”  A lawsuit… Read more.

As the winds of change blow across the United States, many states have lifted their bans on recreational cannabis. However, not every state has embraced the green wave with open arms. Despite the growing popularity of cannabis and its proven medical benefits, some states remain resistant to legalizing recreational use. Whether it's a concern for public health, public safety, or a reluctance to break tradition, these states have chosen to swim against legalization. So, while some states are blazing a trail… Read more.

The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday passed a measure that would allow the director of the state Medical Marijuana Authority to shut down cannabis operations that are damaging the environment, KOKH reports. Sen. Joe Newhouse (R) authored the legislation and argued that it would help reign in medical cannabis operations in the state that are not following state law.  Oklahoma has one of the nation’s most permissive medical cannabis programs, but it has been rife with controversy. Last year, two Oklahoma attorneys were charged in a “Ghost Owner”… Read more.

Zen Cannabis is poised to unveil "The Big Zen" — touted as the most extensive, potent, dominantly-dosed and expensive cannabis chocolate bar ever made. The Oklahoma-based company plans to unveil the 420-pound treat on April 20 (or as it's known colloquially as 4/20). The "Big Zen" took twelve 40-gallon vats of milk chocolate and over 100 pounds of cannabis flower to make. The nine by four-foot chocolate bar packs a potency of 4.2 million milligrams of THC. In the Zen ‘Cannafactory,’ the “Big Zen” operation… Read more.

After witnessing a blowout loss in Oklahoma on Tuesday, advocates of adult-use marijuana legalization are turning their attention to brighter prospects in Hawaii and Delaware. Legalization bills are marching through legislatures in both states, with support from the governor in Hawaii and a veto-proof legislative majority in Delaware, where lawmakers in the state House on Thursday advanced an adult-use legalization bill for the first time. However, observers cautioned final passage isn’t assured in either state. The two relatively small states… Read more.

Oklahoma voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to allow adults 21 and over to buy and consume cannabis. If the measure passes, the state will become the 22nd in the U.S. to legalize pot for adult use. The vote on State Question 820 is taking place on an executive order from Gov. Kevin Stitt. With just over 4 million people and 2.2 million registered voters, Oklahoma is the 28th-largest U.S. state by population. Although it’s a… Read more.

In 2018, State Question 788 in Oklahoma made it illegal to use cannabis for recreational purposes, but it was allowed for medical use with a proper license. However, the citizens of Oklahoma will be voting on March 7th to decide whether or not to legalize cannabis for recreational use statewide. This decision is seen as an opportunity to boost local businesses and promote social reform, but some critics are concerned that it could lead to an increase in addiction and… Read more.

On March 7, Oklahoma residents will only have one question to answer: Do they support adult-use cannabis legalization? If Oklahomans pass State Question 820 on their ballots, they will follow the national trend toward legalization and become the 22nd state to have ended cannabis prohibition. Of the 29 states where adult-use cannabis is still illegal, 17 of them have introduced legislation to legalize it this year. While most of these proposals are unlikely to be successful in 2023, the trend… Read more.