Oklahoma’s marijuana rejection reveals pitfalls of push for full legalization

Since then, it has been more than 10 years Colorado And Washington Nearly two-fifths (or more) of the country were the first to legalize recreational marijuana.

However, Tuesday night constituents were allowed to vote. Oklahoma A statewide attempt to legalize recreational cannabis was stopped. This means that residents still need to hold a medical licence to be allowed to dispensaries within the state. home to more retail cannabis There are more stores than Washington, Oregon, or Colorado combined.

Request for State Question 820 detractors children’s health While some law enforcement officers were concerned about a number of key points, one was the main issue. “yes” Voting in a referendum would hinder efforts to stop illegal growth operations within the state’s rural regions.

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“Regardless of where one stands on the question of marijuana legalization, the stark reality is that organized crime from China and Mexico has infiltrated Oklahoma’s medical marijuana industry,” Gentner Drummond was a Republican who is Oklahoma’s Attorney General. Washington ExaminerThen he said that he was “proud” That 63% voted against the measure. Drummond said that he was happy to share his thoughts with you. “continue to focus on this serious threat to public safety by targeting the illegal grow operations throughout our state.”

One year ago, a man accused Four Chinese nationals were killed at an Oklahoma illegal marijuana farm. His employees demanded $300,000. “investment” Prosecutors stated that this was an illegal operation. Just last month, an a spokesman The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics stated that people were being targeted by the Bureau. “tied to violent criminal organizations” The raid of a Payne County marijuana growing facility resulted in 28,000 plants being seized and 500 pounds processed marijuana.

Oklahoma is home to Republican fierbrands like Gov. Kevin Stitt is the governor of Oklahoma and has a GOP supermajority. He joined other conservative states last year that had rejected recreational cannabis. This includes similar proposals in Arkansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, and South Dakota.

SQ 820 would have permitted anyone older than 21 to possess one ounce or more of cannabis. You could even grow 12 cannabis plants. The bill’s supporters believed that sales would be subject to an excise tax of 15%. This would fund public schools and courts, as well as substance abuse treatment, in addition to the general revenue fund.

Ryan Kiesel is a former state legislator and the organizer of SQ 820. He argued that recreational marijuana would attract more tourists to Texas. Texas hasn’t legalized it for any medical purpose.

“I want to be able to sell legal, regulated, and taxed marijuana to those Texans over the age of 21 and take their tax dollars and invest them in Oklahoma schools and Oklahoma healthcare,” Kiesel said Prior to the election.

Scott Fetgatter (Republican State Rep.) spoke before the Washington Examiner Some of his constituents might have approved SQ 820 passage, and he said that he believed the overwhelming vote against the measure “sends a message to the legislature that we have to continue our work to better regulate the existing medical marijuana industry in Oklahoma.”