Oklahoma lawmakers could be poised to enact new restrictions on the state’s booming medical cannabis program amid concerns about a growing underground marijuana industry.
According to The Journal Record of Oklahoma City, state Rep. Sean Roberts will introduce legislation that would:
- Change residency requirements for medical marijuana ownership, from 75% to 100%.
- Create new penalties for Oklahoma residents acting as “middle men” for out-of-state business interests, including license suspensions.
- Require the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) to create a new reporting system for citizens to tip off authorities to illegal marijuana grows, according to Tulsa TV station Fox 23.
“These changes that I am proposing will stop the many illegal operations in our state run by foreign actors, such as criminal Chinese enterprises or cartels, who participate in human trafficking and are smuggling their illegal narcotics out of Oklahoma to other states,” Roberts said, The Journal Record reported.
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The bill comes as the state continues to grapple with explosive growth in its medical marijuana industry, and the OMMA has been increasing enforcement staff to assist in cracking down on rulebreakers.
The Oklahoma legislative session begins Feb. 7, and lawmakers have until Jan. 20 to introduce bills.
