Now that the dust has settled and it’s been more than three weeks since State Question 820 was overwhelmingly rejected by Oklahomans, I thought I’d weigh in a little bit on its demise.
First, I thought the proposition to legalize recreational marijuana in the Sooner state would probably pass. That was somewhat based on how Medical Marijuana was passed by voters in 2018.
Next, I was totally wrong. While it didn’t surprise me that SQ 820 was turned down, I was a little shocked that it was defeated by more than 200,000 votes.
In looking back at the figures, 349,284 voters or 61.6 percent of those who bothered to cast a ballot resoundingly rejected the state question.
Only 217,078 or 38.3 percent were in favor of making recreational marijuana legal in our state.
In Lincoln County, of those voting 71 percent were against it and in Pottawatomie County 65.2 percent said no to it.
Surprisingly, the state question was defeated in each of Oklahoma’s 77 counties.
It was a hard fought campaign on both sides of the issue.
However, while Oklahomans soundly approved Medical Marijuana five years ago, apparently they aren’t ready to make it legal for recreational purposes quite yet.
One constant I’ve heard since the special election over three weeks ago is the number of crimes that have occurred around and inside medical marijuana grow operations.
Another is the impact some of the illegal grow operations are having on water, agriculture and the environment.
A statement that was made by one law enforcement agency shortly before the election indicated that half of the licensed medical marijuana grow operations are under criminal investigation. I’m not what that number is, but I do believe that it must have resonated with a lot of voters as they went to the polls March 7.
Let’s face it, when Medical Marijuana passed in 2018, the state wasn’t prepared to handle the number of licenses sought nor the enforcement of the grow operations that just ballooned almost overnight.
That may have been of concern also to voters across the state as they considered whether to legalize recreational marijuana.
I’ve noticed that in just the last week or so state senators have passed laws to strengthen regulations against straw owners in the marijuana industry, give municipalities greater control over marijuana business zoning, allow the OMMA director to shut down marijuana operations causing environmental damage and reforms to better protect youth and patients.
All of this appears to be efforts aimed at gaining better control over the medical marijuana industry.
I suspect it’s coming from constituents of the legislators who are voicing some of their concenrs.
I suspect the ardent supporters of SQ 820 will attempt to put the question back on the ballot in future years. But it appears from the vote three weeks ago that their efforts need to turn a lot of heads before it is approved at the polls.