State medical marijuana vote set for this summer

Gov. Mary Fallin has set the election date for Oklahoma’s medical marijuana proposal for June 26.

The election coincides with the primary election, which generally sees lower turnout among voters. With such a high-interest ballot question, however, more registered voters than normal could head to the polls.

The proposal would create a system for people to receive a medical marijuana recommendation from doctors and then buy the product from a dispensary. The law also sets up a framework for growers, transporters and retail sales of the drug.

Chip Paul with Oklahomans for Health, the group

that successfully gathered enough signatures to place the issue on the ballot, said he was happy that Fallin set the date. Supporters have been waiting on a proclamation since they turned in the signatures 16 months ago.

“The sooner the better as far as we’re concerned. We would have always preferred an earlier date,” said Paul.

In issuing her proclamation, Fallin said supporters fulfilled their requirements to trigger a statewide referendum.

“Backers of this proposal to legalize medical marijuana followed procedures and gathered the more than 66,000 required signatures to submit the issue to a vote of the people,” Fallin said. “I’m fulfilling my duty as governor to decide when that election will occur this year.”

Oklahoma residents have until June 1 to register to vote in the June 26 primary election.

If approved, the measure would permit doctors to recommend a patient, who must be at least 18 years old, to hold

a state-issued medical marijuana license. A license holder would be allowed to legally possess up to 3 ounces of the drug, six mature plants and six seedlings. These limits can be increased by individual counties or cities.

The law would likely trigger new agency policies to handle the influx of medical marijuana patients, medical providers and business owners.

Supporters now have five months to ramp up their campaign. Paul said he is ready.

“An organization like ours will get active around an issue as milestones come up. We’ve been functioning as an organization since 2014,” he said. “Make no mistake, we’re very ready and very organized.”

Paul said he suspects most voters would support the ballot question. He commissioned a SoonerPOLL survey that is expected to be released next week.

“This is an issue that people want to get out and vote for. The quicker we can get this medicine in the hands of people who need it, the better,” he said.

No organized group has come forward in opposition to medical marijuana in Oklahoma.