Medical cannabis supporters: Will of voters overturned

Oklahoma City – The Oklahoma State Board of Health today took steps to gut Oklahoma’s fledgling medical cannabis program, despite a landslide electoral victory and the support of over 507,000 voters who supported legalization. In split decisions, the Board voted to ban all smokable cannabis products from being sold in dispensaries, banned many edible products and put in place a new requirement for pharmacists to be present in all dispensaries. This comes even though SQ 788 contained explicit language legalizing both smokable and edible marijuana and outlined guidelines for dispensaries.

Members of New Health Solutions Oklahoma (NHSO), the state’s trade group for medical cannabis businesses, said the OSDE Board had usurped the will of the people and insulted voters. They called on Governor Mary Fallin to reject the additional rules and, if she fails to act, asked the Legislature to return to the Capitol in a special session to ensure State Question 788 is implemented as voters intended and expected it to be.

“The unelected members of the Oklahoma Board of Health have decided their opinions about medical cannabis are more important than the opinions of over half a million voters,” said NHSO Executive Director Bud Scott. “Their actions today are an insult to our democratic institutions. We are asking Governor Mary Fallin to do the right thing and reject these additional rules. If she fails to do so, we are asking every legislator, regardless of how they feel about medical cannabis, to come to the Capitol in a special session and restore the rule of law and the will of the voters.”

Scott said the Board’s actions are intended to disrupt the implementation of State Question 788, not to make it safer or more responsible.

“This is an attempt to kneecap the program, not a good-faith effort to implement it safely,” said Scott. “The Board’s regulations are so overly broad that most medical cannabis products available in other states would be illegal in Oklahoma. Furthermore, the requirement to put a pharmacist in every dispensary will be financially impossible to comply with except for a limited number of dispensaries owned by pharmacists. The Board has essentially just handed control of an entire industry to one special interest group. This is not only inappropriate; it is borderline corrupt.”

“These rules are unworkable for a functional medical cannabis industry,” said Scott. “At this point, the only way to successfully implement State Question 788 is for the Legislature to engage in a special session.”

*About New Health Solutions Oklahoma*
Located in the heart of Oklahoma City, NHSO consists of members of Oklahoma's business, medical, legal and agricultural communities committed to supporting new economic opportunities and healthy enterprises. Representing a broad spectrum of experience, skillets, and interests, NHSO brings a wealth of knowledge and assets to the development of public policy and market opportunities, specifically related to the emerging medical cannabis industry in Oklahoma. Through responsible regulations, public education and community outreach, we strive to provide Oklahoman's with access to new forms of medical relief, while creating innovative investment opportunities. NHSO and its members are committed to working with the business, medical, legal and agricultural community to ensure the responsible development of the medical cannabis industry in Oklahoma, while preserving public health, deterring drug and alcohol abuse by Oklahoma's youths, and combating the illicit drug trade.

/Copyright © 2018 New Health Solutions Oklahoma, All rights reserved./
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1120 NW 51st St, Oklahoma City, OK 73118

The Gayly – July 10, 2018 @ 5:50 p.m. CDT.