Oklahoma has always been known as a state that jumps headfirst into new ventures. Right after it became a state in 1907, it produced the most oil of any state or territory in the United States. Then, during the time of the Oklahoma Land Run, cities with as many as 10,000 residents popped up overnight. To say that Oklahomans take an enterprising idea and run with it in an understatement – and medical marijuana is no different. Here’s how the medical marijuana trade has impacted the state, and what may be in store now MMJ is legal in Oklahoma.
Medical Marijuana in OK: One Year and Going Strong
It may have been a shock to many people that Oklahoma was ready for a cutting-edge medical marijuana bill to pass, but pass it did. State Question 788 was passed in Oklahoma in 2018 with 57% support in the state.
At the end of the first year, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority reported that over 160,000 applications had been processed so far. Business has grown rapidly in the past year as well, with over 6,000 commercial business licenses issued across the state. The jobs that have been created as a result are still being measured.
The ways we see medical marijuana affecting Oklahoma have been positive so far.
The Tax Implications of 2019 MMJ Laws in Oklahoma
The first month that Oklahoma collected taxes on medical marijuana, which was November of 2018, they collected about $1,300 in sales tax alone. According to the Oklahoma Tax Commission, that number has increased each month since – and in June of 2019, over $2 million in taxes had been collected on medical marijuana. That makes one thing clear: medical marijuana in OK is bringing in a lot of money.
Now MMJ is Legal in Oklahoma: Far-Reaching Impact
The boom experienced in taxes and medical marijuana licenses isn’t the only thing being impacted by 2019 MMJ laws in Oklahoma. In schools, restaurants, and other types of businesses we see other examples of medical marijuana affecting Oklahoma (in a positive way!).
Restaurants around the state are looking at ways they can get in on the MMJ action by including THC and CBD in the products they offer. Many restaurants are creating trendy products for consumption that marry the new marijuana laws with their culinary skills.
As far as schools are concerned, the law does not allow dispensaries to be within a certain distance of K–12 schools, but colleges and universities see no such restrictions. This had led to a number of dispensaries popping up very close to university property, which helps to draw customers to the businesses they are surrounded by as well.
Even the way doctors are treating their patients has changed since they now need to understand how best to treat their patients now that medical marijuana is an option.
Now MMJ is legal in Oklahoma, dispensaries have popped up all over, including near colleges and universities.
How to Get Your OK Medical Marijuana Card
If you live in Oklahoma and have not yet jumped on the medical marijuana train, then you might be missing out. The determination is made by your doctor as to whether you would benefit from medical marijuana; there are no formal qualifying conditions for an OK medical marijuana card, but some of the conditions that are commonly prescribed MMJ include:
- HIV/AIDS
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Chronic Pain
- Glaucoma
- Inflammation
- Wasting syndrome
- Anorexia
- Bulimia
- Crohn’s disease
- Severe nausea
- Neuropathic pain disorders
- Muscle spasms
Once you see a doctor about prescribing medical marijuana, then you can apply online through the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority website. You’ll be asked for proof of identity and residency of the state as well as personal information such as phone number, birth date, address, and physician information. You must also submit a small, full-face photo like those found in a passport. Once you submit the application and pay the $100 fee, then you wait to hear back within 14 days. If approved, your card is valid for two years.
What You Can Legally Obtain with an OK Medical Marijuana Card
Once you have your medical marijuana card in hand, you can go to a dispensary to legally purchase products of your choice. According to Oklahoma law, you can have:
- Up to 72 ounces of edibles
- Up to eight ounces of marijuana in your home
- Up to three ounces of marijuana on your person when out of the house
- Up to one ounce of concentrates
- Up to six mature plants and six seedlings in your home
Oklahoma is once again leading the nation when it comes to change, and the 2019 MMJ laws in Oklahoma make that even clearer. Now MMJ is legal in Oklahoma, it may change the landscape even more than the oil boom!