Latest news with #StateQuestion837
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump weighs marijuana reclassification as Oklahoma eyes recreational legalization
President Donald Trump said his administration is weighing whether to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug. This move could mark the most significant federal shift in cannabis policy in half a century. "We're looking at reclassification and we'll make a determination over the next few weeks," Trump said at an Aug. 11 news conference. The federal government lists marijuana alongside heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug — the category reserved for substances deemed highly dangerous, addictive and without medical value. Reclassifying it to Schedule III, as recommended by federal health officials in 2023, would put marijuana in the same legal tier as Tylenol with codeine and anabolic steroids, allowing it to be prescribed by licensed medical providers and dispensed by pharmacies. It would not, however, legalize recreational use under federal law. What a federal shift could mean for Oklahoma Oklahoma legalized medical marijuana in 2018 and more than 2,000 dispensaries now operate statewide. But under current law, adults can only purchase cannabis with a medical patient license. That could change if voters approve State Question 837, which would legalize recreational sales for adults 21 and older. The measure cleared a major procedural hurdle in July and organizers have already started gathering signatures. Organizers have until Nov. 4 to collect at least 172,993 valid signatures to get on the ballot in 2026. If Trump reclassifies marijuana to Schedule III, Oklahoma's medical marijuana market — already among the largest per capita in the nation — could see smoother banking operations, lower compliance risks for dispensaries and broader medical research opportunities. But the move would do nothing to authorize recreational sales in the state; that decision would still rest entirely with Oklahoma voters. The push for SQ 837 Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action (ORCA), the group behind SQ 837, is betting that public sentiment has shifted since voters rejected a similar measure, State Question 820, in 2023 by a 61% margin. This time, ORCA is pursuing a constitutional amendment, making it harder for lawmakers to alter or repeal the law without another statewide vote. The proposal would tax recreational sales at 10% while preserving the medical system and exempting licensed patients from the new tax. The campaign faces new hurdles, including a 2025 state law limiting how many petition signatures can come from a single county. That means ORCA can't rely solely on the city center like Tulsa or Oklahoma City for signatures and will have to fan out into rural areas — such as Harmon County, where just 117 residents will be allowed to sign. "Maybe we'll go and hang out at the co-op for a day or go to the county courthouse," ORCA Director Jed Green said. "Voters of Harmon County — get ready, we'll come out and visit." Open primary supporters have challenged Senate Bill 1027 in the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which has not yet issued a ruling. The bigger picture Trump's comments come after years of fits and starts on federal marijuana policy. President Joe Biden initiated the reclassification review in 2022, and federal health officials recommended the downgrade in 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration proposed a rule change in 2024, but the process stalled after Trump returned to the White House in January. Terrance Cole, Trump's newly confirmed DEA administrator, has said reviewing marijuana's classification will be one of his first priorities, though he has not signaled whether he supports the change. Trump said the decision is complicated, weighing the benefits of marijuana use for medical reasons against potential societal impacts. "Some people like it, some people hate it," he said. "Some people hate the whole concept of marijuana." If the administration follows through, Oklahoma's cannabis industry could get a boost in legitimacy and access to services — but recreational marijuana will still live or die by the state's ballot box. This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Trump considers marijuana shift; Oklahoma advances recreational use Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
24 states have legalized recreational marijuana. Is Oklahoma one of them?
Nearly half of states across the U.S. have legalized recreational marijuana, but Oklahoma remains hesitant. While 24 states have adopted laws allowing adults to purchase and consume cannabis for non-medical use, Oklahoma continues to prohibit it. In fact, Oklahomans voted down a state question that would have altered the state's constitution to allow recreational use of marijuana in March 2023. A cannabis advocacy group has drafted a constitutional amendment to allow recreational marijuana, and it could appear on a future ballot as State Question 837 if enough signatures are collected. But what does the Sooner State allow medically? Here's what you need to know. No, Oklahoma does not allow non-medical use of cannabis. According to NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, possession of any amount of marijuana for recreational use is a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 12 months in jail or up to a $1,000 fine. A subsequent offense of possessing any amount for recreational use holds the same penalty. Oklahoma allows marijuana for medical purposes only, and those with a state-issued license can possess the following, according to NORML: Up to eight ounces of marijuana in their residence Up to one ounce of concentrated marijuana Up to 72 ounces of edible marijuana Up to six mature marijuana plants Up to six seedling plants Up to three ounces of marijuana on their person Those without a license face a fine-only misdemeanor for the possession of up to 1.5 ounces of herbal cannabis. According to U.S. News and World Report, here are the 24 states to legalize marijuana: Washington (as of 2012) Alaska (as of 2014) Oregon (as of 2014) California (as of 2016) Montana (as of 2020) Colorado (as of 2012) Nevada (as of 2016) Arizona (as of 2020) New Mexico (as of 2021) Minnesota (as of 2023) Missouri (as of 2022) Illinois (as of 2019) Michigan (as of 2018) Ohio (as of 2023) Virginia (as of 2021) Maryland (as of 2023) Maine (as of 2016) Delaware (as of 2023) New Jersey (as of 2020) New York (as of 2021) Vermont (as of 2018) Massachusetts (as of 2016) Rhode Island (as of 2022) Connecticut (as of 2021) For more information, visit This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Is recreational use of marijuana legal in Oklahoma? 24 states allow it
Forbes
03-04-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Oklahoma Group Files Cannabis Legalization Initiative For 2026
Oklahoma cannabis activists this week filed a proposed ballot measure to legalize recreational ... More marijuana. An Oklahoma cannabis policy reform group this week submitted a proposed initiative to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. If approved for the ballot, the proposal could appear before voters in 2026, only three years after voters rejected a different initiative to legalize recreational cannabis possession and sales. On Monday, the group Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action (ORCA) submitted the proposed constitutional amendment to secretary of state's office. If the group collects enough signatures, the proposal will appear on ballots as State Question 837, likely in 2026. If approved by voters, the proposed ballot measure would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to legalize cannabis for all adults aged 21 and older. Currently, only patients with a state-issued medical marijuana license are permitted to use cannabis medicinally under a state program approved by voters in 2018. Barring any legal challenges, supporters of the proposal could begin collecting signatures to place State Question 837 on the ballot as soon as July. Jed Green, ORCA director, said that the initiative could appear on Oklahoma ballots sometime in 2026, according to a report from The Oklahoman. To succeed, the group must collect at least 172,993 verified signatures from registered Oklahoma voters. The measure preserves the state's existing regulatory framework for medical marijuana. Those who maintain their status as licensed patients will no longer be subject to a 7% tax on medical cannabis purchases. Adults aged 21 and up without a patient license would pay a 10% excise tax on recreational cannabis products purchased at licensed dispensaries. If approved by voters, State Question 837 permits existing medical marijuana dispensaries to begin sales of recreational cannabis 60 days after passage. Home delivery of cannabis products could begin after six months. State Question 837 also includes provisions that prohibit the presumption of intoxication based on the use of marijuana or the presence of THC metabolites in a person's system. 'Proof of impairment requires confirmation of impairment through the use of cognitive, kinetic and/or behavioral evaluations,' the text of the proposal states. State Question 837 also includes provisions to protect adults from penalties based solely on their use of cannabis, including sanctions on 'healthcare, housing, employment, public assistance, public benefit, parental right, educational opportunity, [and] extracurricular activity,' online cannabis news source Marijuana Moment reported on Wednesday. The initiative contains similar protections for 'licensure or licensed activity,' such as firearm ownership and driving rights due to any legal cannabis activity. The filing of the proposed ballot measure comes only two years after Oklahoma voters rejected a similar proposal, State Question 820. The 2023 initiative was soundly defeated, with nearly 62% of voters rejecting the bid to legalize recreational marijuana. State Question 837 could appear on Oklahoma ballots in 2026. Green of ORCA said that this year's effort is different than State Question 820, which the group opposed. He added that 2023 bid was funded by out-of-state interests that failed to collaborate with activists responsible for legalizing medical marijuana in Oklahoma. He also faulted the measure's regulatory scheme, which would be overseen by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA). 'One of the fundamental differences between that and what is now State Question 837, is that SQ 820 would have created a duplicate licensing system that has demonstrably failed in multiple other states,' Green told The Oklahoman. 'OMMA was already behind on licensure renewals, and there was no way OMMA could handle it, or that business should be required to have two separate licenses, two sets of regulations and potentially two sets of storefronts to sell the same product.' Green said that efforts to approve State Question 837 are threatened by pending legislation that would add new restrictions on gathering signatures for ballot initiatives. Under Senate Bill 1027, which the Oklahoma Senate approved last month, 90% of signatures would have to come from outside Oklahoma and Tulsa Counties, the state's two most populous. Additionally, the number of signatures that could be collected in smaller counties would be capped at 4% of the county's total registered voters. Green said that ORCA opposes the legislation, which will next be considered by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. 'It takes voting rights from all Oklahomans. The power to sign an initiative petition is reserved to registered voters only. Therefore, signing a petition is a right of only a registered voter; it is a voting right,' Green said. 'When you restrict anyone for any reason from being able to exercise their right to vote, you are on very shaky legal ground.'
