Oklahoma governor approves less restrictive medical cannabis rules

Gov. Mary Fallin signed off this week on the do-over in Oklahoma’s emergency medical marijuana regulations – rules that revert to more business-friendly MMJ provisions.

They:

• Permit sales of smokable marijuana.
• Remove the requirement for each dispensary to have a licensed pharmacist.
• Lift restrictions on THC levels.

The revisions, adopted last week by the state Board of Health, reversed ones regulators hurriedly passed last month.

The health board’s reversal came after Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter said the agency had overstepped its authority in adopting measures that were much more restrictive than those in the voter-approved initiative.

Fallin, a Republican, said in a statement Monday that the new regulations “are very basic and represent the best option in developing a proper regulatory framework for medical marijuana.”

Based on the current provisions, Marijuana Business Daily projects Oklahoma MMJ’s market could reach $100 million to $150 million annually within several years of its launch.