Oklahoma sees rise in Rx pot buying
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma residents bought a record amount of medical marijuana in April, as dispensaries sold enough of it to raise tax collections by more than 25%, according to the state Tax Commission.
The commission’s figures show that dispensaries paid nearly $9.8 million in taxes last month, surpassing the previous record of $7.8 million set in March, The Oklahoman reported. It’s the highest month-to-month gain since last summer.
People across the state spent about $61.4 million on medical marijuana in April, or nearly $217 per licensed patient, a tax collection analysis revealed.
The tax collections started just a week after Gov. Kevin Stitt issued his “safer at home” directive, which shut down many nonessential businesses and forced people to work remotely. Medical marijuana dispensaries were deemed an essential industry, which allowed them to stay open.
With the moves, “Oklahoma patients were afforded the ability to take their medicine on a more regular basis and sample a broader range of available medicines,” said Bud Scott, executive director of the Oklahoma Cannabis Industry Association.
Keith Wiley, owner of Native Brothers Dispensary, said larger chains offering near-wholesale prices could be reaping the benefits as people grapple with the coronavirus outbreak.
“I’ve probably medicated more these past few months. You’ve got people staying home and getting stimulus checks, and what are they spending it on? Things that help keep them calm and collected,” Wiley said.