Oklahoma law enforcement is concerned with cannabis as activists gather signatures in support of a ballot measure to legalize marijuana for adult use by 2026.
Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action (ORCA)—which has partnered with more than 400 dispensaries and retailers across the state to carry their legalization ballot petitions—says recent anti-marijuana comments from a police association and state law enforcement agency speak to the strength of their effort.
At a press conference on Thursday, Moore Police Chief Todd Gibson, who serves as president of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs, said “the citizens of Oklahoma have already spoken out against this issue and have resoundingly said we don’t want recreational marijuana.”
This was in reference to a previous initiative, which voters had rejected on the ballot.
Gibson criticized also the implementation of medical marijuana in the state, which voters approved in 2018. He linked it with “a significant rise in the access for our youth”. [and] “Crime has a negative impact on our local community.”
He said, “We have seen the black market and criminals from other countries enter Oklahoma to put pressure on public security.” “I’ve never witnessed marijuana create safer and better communities than in Oklahoma.”
Donnie Anderson, Director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs(OBNDD), is raising concerns about marijuana. He didn’t expressly encourage opposing the 2026 initiative but he did tell KOCO News he had broader concerns regarding “organized crime” within Oklahoma.
It’s a problem I have to face. Gas and a card for medical marijuana are both possible. He said, “That sounds pretty fun to me.” “This isn’t about medicine. “I absolutely believe that there’s a space and place for the people. It’s just not happening. We’re driving out people doing this legaly.
Jed Green is the founder of OCRA and he told MEDCAN24, that opposition by law enforcement is a clear sign his campaign is gaining momentum. This is before the initiative has been certified to be placed on the ballot, more than a full year before the vote could take place.
He said, “We’ve got a state agency and a law enforcement organization weighing in to oppose State Question 837 even before the ballot is cleared.” This is atypical, unprecedented and shows our strength.
“Ultimately, if these folks didn’t feel threatened by what we’re doing, they would not have attacked us six months before there’s even potentially a ‘yes’ campaign,” he said.
The director of the OBNDD did not directly try to influence the voters in any way, but the agency used its Facebook page for an article on the press conference held with the chief of police, and this could be considered a violation of the use of public resources.
The director is not always the only person in charge [opposing it himself] He said that they had promoted an unbalanced piece against 837. “We have asked the Oklahoma State Ethics Commission if they could provide some clarity to us and to our agency so that we are all clear as to what’s allowed and not permitted.”
The local authorities may be reacting to the fact that our organization has gathered more than 400 signatures across the entire state, he added.
To help facilitate the signature gathering process, ORCA has also launched an interactive map that helps prospective supporters locate the businesses—a mix of existing medical cannabis dispensaries and other retailers, from restaurants to tattoo parlors to liquor stores—that are keeping petitions on-site.
Earlier this year, Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican from Texas, has approved legislation which some activists fear will hinder future reforms in cannabis policy.
The law puts additional requirements on initiative “gist” language that voters see on the ballot and also revise policies around signature gathering to make it so petitioners could only submit signatures from up to 11.5 percent of registered voters in a single county for statutory proposals and 20.8 percent for constitutional measures. The current litigation is not related to the cannabis-specific proposal.
ORCA’s initial signature campaign will focus on rural areas so advocates can monitor them. Then, the campaign will focus on Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
ORCA is required to provide the required 172.993 signatures to the Secretary of States Office by the 4th November. There will then be 90 days for legal challenges. The measure will be on the ballot in November 2026 if the campaign is successful.
Green previously said that one of the key differences between the initiative his organization is pushing and the one that failed at the ballot in 2023 is that it accounts for concerns about licensing rules. Green has said that the adult-use initiative, which failed in 2023, effectively replicated the licensing system of the medical marijuana measure, which was widely criticized by many.
This is what ORCA’s latest marijuana legalization proposal would achieve:
- Adults 21 years and older could purchase up to 8 ounces cannabis to use for their own personal needs. Also, they could grow as many 12 plants as they wanted and keep what was harvested. They would also be allowed to possess up to an ounce of cannabis concentrated.
- Oklahoma banks will not be penalized for serving state-licensed marijuana businesses, if they accept the proposed amendment to their constitution.
- The initiative also includes safeguards that prevent adults from facing any penalties in the areas of “healthcare and housing, employment and public benefits, parental rights, education, extracurricular activities, and public assistance” as well as “licensure and licensed activities” like firearm ownership or driving privileges due to legal cannabis use.
- The presence of THC in the system of a person could not be considered as evidence of impairment.
- Local governments will not be allowed to ban marijuana growing at home. Any regulations set by them on this activity must not be too burdensome. Also, public laws on marijuana smoking in public places cannot be stricter than the current tobacco regulations.
- After 60 days, existing medical cannabis dispensaries and any retail licensees would be allowed to begin selling adult products. They could deliver cannabis to adults after 180 days.
- The state agencies that regulate medical cannabis would also be in charge of the adult market.
- An excise duty of 10 percent would be levied on products for adult-use. However, the initiative states that it is up to the legislative body whether they want to lower the tax or not.
- These tax dollars will go to the general fund of the state (40%) and county (30%) governments, as well 30 percent municipal (30%) governments where retail sales occur. The revenue from unincorporated areas would be evenly split, with 50 percent going to the county and the other half to the state general fund.
- The tax on cannabis for patients registered with the Cannabis Registry will be abolished 60 days after it is enacted.
- Also, it states that state licensed marijuana businesses cannot be prohibited from participating in interstate commerce in the event of a federal change, or court ruling, allowing this activity. The legislature could impose a wholesale tax of up to 3 percent on marijuana exported outside state borders if that were to happen.
Meanwhile in Oklahoma, lawmakers in March advanced a bill aimed at protecting gun rights of state-registered medical marijuana patients, although federal law still bars cannabis users from owning firearms regardless of their patient status.
Another state bill filed in January by a GOP legislator would criminalize the use of medical cannabis during pregnancy.
Side Pocket Images. Image courtesy Chris Wallis.
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