Unified Medical Cannabis Groups Release Legislation

New Health Solutions Oklahoma (NHSO) today released a final statutory draft proposal (click here to download) to implement State Question 788 in a timely and responsible manner.

The model legislation was created in collaboration with grassroots organizations, including Oklahomans for Health, Green the Vote, and the Oklahoma Cannabis Trade Association, who worked to author and pass SQ 788, patient advocates, a dozen attorneys with expertise in various areas of law, hundreds of Oklahomans, their elected representatives, industry experts and stakeholders from across the state.

This draft represents a three-week effort to finalize months of commitment towards the responsible, safe and timely implementation of SQ 788.
 
"We believe that with the culmination of a three-week, transparent process that has brought together stakeholders on all sides of this policy, this draft will give our elected leaders the basis for a limited special session to prevent a crisis in implementation," said Bud Scott, Executive Director for NHSO.

"We have a short window to get emergency laws in place that will provide clarity to all Oklahomans on the direction of this program, while preventing delays and ensuring public safety."
 
Jed Green, Political Director for NHSO, said, "Direct democracy held in a transparent manner can be messy. We have seen many passionate people contribute to this process. To be sure, there have been dust ups that are typical in social movements, but the result has been really positive. We hope that our leaders will now execute this fix and be able to demonstrate that when they had the chance to stop a crisis, leadership was shown."
 
A limited special session would constitutionally take five days. The window of opportunity would be September 4th-8th and require the Legislature as a whole to be present for two days.

Once the OSDH is required to issue licenses to commercial operations on September 10, changes to the law will open our state up to lawsuits from license holders if the legislature waits to take action until after the licenses are issued. A limited special session will ultimately cost taxpayers less than these guaranteed lawsuits.

Copyright The Gayly. 8/17/2018 @ 12:32 p.m. CST.