Oklahoma Gov. Wants Voters to End Medical Cannabis Program
- Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt called for a re-vote on the state’s medical cannabis program, claiming voters were misled by “out-of-state liberal activists” in the 2018 legalization vote.
- Stitt criticized the current medical marijuana industry as a public safety threat, noting there are now more dispensaries than pharmacies in Oklahoma.
- The governor dismissed the idea of reforming the program, stating that minor changes wouldn’t fix the underlying issues.
- State Senator Lonnie Paxton advocated for stronger regulation and opposed a re-vote, emphasizing support for local investors and proper oversight of the existing program.
During his final State of the State address as governor last week, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) called for a re-vote on the state’s medical cannabis program, suggesting that voters were duped in 2018 by “out-of-state liberal activists” when they voted with nearly 57% support to approve the reforms, the Oklahoma Chronicle reports.
“One of the greatest threats to public safety is the out-of-control marijuana industry. When Oklahomans voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2018, we were sold a bill of goods. It opened up Pandora’s box. Now, we have more dispensaries than we do pharmacies.” — Gov. Stitt, in the address
The governor seemed uninterested in reforming the program, suggesting that “We can’t put a band-aid on a broken bone.”
But Sen. Lonnie Paxton (R), Senate President pro tempore, pushed for a more regulatory approach following the governor’s announcement.
“It’s much, much easier to regulate and to inspect and to make sure we’re doing the right thing,” he said in a News 9 report.
“I would suggest to the governor; we don’t need a state question to pull this back,” Paxton said. “There are some good Oklahomans that invested their life savings into this program, and they’re trying to do what the voters actually thought they were voting for.”