OKLAHOMA, USA — On March 7, Oklahoma voters will head to the polls to decide on State Question 820—to legalize recreational marijuana statewide.
Michelle Tilley is the marketing campaign director for Vote Yes on 820, Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws. Right now, medical marijuana card holders are taxed 7%. If the proposed measure passes subsequent month, recreational clients will probably be taxed 15%.
“A majority of Oklahomans want to see legalized recreational marijuana passed, they are tired of people going to jail for minor marijuana offenses when the idea of using marijuana recreationally is pretty widely accepted,” Tilley stated.
According to a latest report from Vicente Sederberg LLP and the Oklahoma Cannabis Industry Association, the state stands to achieve $821 million in tax income within the first 5 years of legalization.
“That means tens of millions of dollars every year that will be going to our schools, local governments, helping our local law enforcement so that they can quit wasting their time and money chasing after minor marijuana issues,” she stated.
Pat McFerron is with Protect our Kids, Vote No 820 which is the group opposing recreational marijuana. He says the group is anxious about a few of the particulars he thinks hurt youngsters.
“This State Question expressly changes the threshold for child endangerment allowing for the use of marijuana around infants and toddlers, when you couple that with the kind of stratospheric increase in those under five years old, being poisoned by ingesting marijuana, it’s really concerning,” McFerron stated.
The group additionally alleges medical marijuana has elevated organized crime in Oklahoma and created different points.
“We just want to want to make sure that we don’t expand these problems we already have. We feel like our state, our law enforcement, is just now starting to get a handle on the medical marijuana industry in our state. And passing 820 would put us back at square one and trying to get a hold on that,” he stated.
If voters do approve Question 820 on March 7, it’ll go into impact three months after. And similar to in Missouri, anybody 21 and older should buy recreational marijuana even when they stay out of state.
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