Oklahoma: Initiative to Legalize Medical Cannabis Placed on June 26 Ballot

An initiative that would legalize medical cannabis throughout Oklahoma has been officially placed on the June 26 primary election ballot.

“I have set the date for voters to decide the medical marijuana issue to be the June 26 primary election”, Governor Mary Fallin announced today. Governor Fallin had the option of putting the measure – State Question 788 – to a vote of the people in June, or in November during the general election. The governor was given this choice following a successful signature gathering campaign which forced the state to put the medical cannabis legalization measure to a vote of the people.

The proposed law would allow patients to possess up to three ounces of cannabis (eight in a private residence) and up to 72 ounces of cannabis edibles. They would also be allowed to grow up to six mature cannabis plants, in addition to six seedlings. The measure states that “A regulatory office shall be established under the Oklahoma State Department of Health which will receive applications for medical license recipients, dispensaries, growers, and packagers within sixty (60) days of the passage of this initiative.” Cannabis would be taxed at 7%.

In 2016 Governor Fallin signed a far more limited cannabis-related measure into law, House Bill 2835 , allowing those with certain medical conditions who receive a recommendation from a physician to possess and use cannabis oil, given it has no more than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).