An OK MMJ card has finally become available. Oklahoma was a slow adopter of medical marijuana, and only a short while ago many pro-MMJ advocates in the state believed legalization may never come. But, in the space of only twelve months, everything has changed. Oklahoma has now joined the MMJ revolution… and it has done so with gusto!
“Is MMJ legal in Oklahoma yet?” has been a much-asked question throughout the country over the past few years. The question might originally have seemed ironic, the implication being that the traditionally conservative state would be the last state likely to legalize MMJ – and if it ever did that would be evidence that MMJ had become thoroughly accepted.
Over the past decade, a cascade of American states have been legalizing medical cannabis, but many Oklahomans were not holding their breath. But things changed with surprising speed. In June of 2018 Oklahomans were asked to vote on State Question 788. The citizens of Oklahoma voted to legalize MMJ in the Sooner State.
The history of medical marijuana in Oklahoma is barren. Cannabis has tended to be viewed largely as a recreational substance in the state. But the mountains of evidence that show how beneficial MMJ is for patients, as well as the copious business opportunities that legal MMJ can open up, have changed the minds of many Oklahomans.
When was MMJ Legalized in OK?
As mentioned, there is very little history of medical marijuana in Oklahoma. The state has always tended to take a conservation stance on such matters. An OK MMJ card seemed unlikely to ever come into existence at many times over the last few years. Despite the canvassing of pro-MMJ patients, scientists and medical professionals, local politicians, and state legislators were slow to be convinced of the merits of pushing for legal MMJ.
But while change came slowly, it did come. In June of 2018 Oklahomans were proposed State Question 788. The citizenry spoke and 57% decided that “…the licensed sale, use, and growth of marijuana in Oklahoma for medical purposes” should be allowed.
Once the Yes vote was confirmed, Oklahoma’s MMJ program was rolled out with usual speed. Dispensaries opened their doors just four months after legalization. The state now has one of the country’s most liberal medical cannabis programs, and the MMJ industry in Oklahoma is booming.
What has the Reception for Legal MMJ in OK Been Like?
The attitude of Oklahomans towards medical marijuana in 2019 is mostly positive. The state’s ethos has traditionally been one of independence. Oklahomans do not like to have too much governmental interference in their affairs. Freedom from big government is an important and engrained value in Oklahoma. This attitude has allowed one of the most liberal and non-intrusive MMJ programs in the country to come into effect very quickly.
There are fewer rules and regulations in the Oklahoma MMJ program and a lot of freedom for patients, medical professionals and, the industry to choose how they operate in the MMJ space.
Oklahoma has even been called the “wild, wild West” of the MMJ world!
Will MMJ Stay Legalized in OK?
The 2019 MMJ laws in Oklahoma are very forward-looking and liberal. The state has caught the MMJ ball and is running with it with the gusto of an Oklahoma Sooners running back charging toward the Texas Longhorns’ end zone! Given the speed at which the program has been rolled out, and the enthusiasm of local businesspeople, physicians, and patients, it is very difficult to imagine any backtracking happening on the part of local politicians or legislators.
How Does Legal MMJ Affect the Push for Legalized Recreational Marijuana in OK?
While MMJ is now well and truly legal in Oklahoma, recreational marijuana is still illegal. An OK MMJ card does not qualify a person to obtain cannabis for recreational purposes.
Given the relative flexibility of Oklahoma’s MMJ laws – medical cannabis is available for any medical condition that a medical professional deems it will be helpful – it is possible that the push to legalize recreational cannabis in the state may lose its potency.
However, it is also possible that once Oklahomans get accustomed to having plentiful MMJ, that they will decide that cannabis is harmless and decide to legalize recreational use.
How Can People Get MMJ in Oklahoma?
It is relatively easy to get MMJ in OK. A patient only needs to have a consultation with a medical professional. This can be done very quickly and easily online. There is no formal list of qualifying medical conditions for use of MMJ in Oklahoma. A medical professional can authorize MMJ use for any medical condition that he or she believes would be improved by the use of medical marijuana.
An OK MMJ card can be used in any dispensary in the state. There are currently plenty of dispensaries in Oklahoma – 1,500 at last count, and rising! Home cultivation of MMJ is allowed in the state.
So, legal MMJ was slow to arrive in Oklahoma. But when it came, it came with a bang! Oklahomans have embraced the MMJ revolution, but now they are lucky to live in a state with one of the most progressive and liberal MMJ programs in the entire United States.