Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Patient Count Falls to Lowest Level Since June 2020

The new figure marks the eighth consecutive month of decline, down from 326,828 in July and well below the 2022 peak of nearly 387,000 patients. The downward trend comes as Oklahoma’s once rapidly expanding program stabilizes and tightens. When voters approved medical marijuana in 2018, the program quickly became one of the most accessible in the nation, with low barriers to entry and no cap on business licenses. At its height, nearly 10% of the state’s population held medical marijuana cards, a rate unmatched anywhere else in the country.

Since then, the state has also introduced more stringent oversight, which may be contributing to the shrinking patient base. Several readers have contacted out to us in recent weeks to say that their renewal was denied, but they were given no reason as to why. We reached out to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority for comment, but they have yet to provide a response.

Another factor contributing to the decrease in medical cannabis patients is the proliferation of hemp-derived THC products, which can be found easily in smoke shops and online.

In the meantime, advocates with Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action are working to place a recreational marijuana measure on the November 2026 ballot. The proposal would allow adults 21 and older to possess, purchase, and grow marijuana while creating a taxed retail system. Petitions are now available at more than 400 sites in over 100 cities, giving supporters widespread access as the campaign pushes forward.