State Watch

Oklahoma Board of Health votes to ban sale of smokeable marijuana

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Oklahoma’s Board of Health on Tuesday voted to place a ban on selling smokeable forms of marijuana, according to The Oklahoman.

The department also voted to mandate that marijuana dispensaries hire a pharmacist. 

The Board of Health voted on 75 pages of rules that will create a framework for people interested in forms of medical marijuana.

In late June, Oklahoma became the 30th state to legalize medical marijuana in the country. According to Forbes, the measure was approved by a 10-point margin.

But Gov. Mary Fallin (R) said she opposed the bill and added that she’d convene a special legislative session to design a framework for the law’s implementation, according to The Associated Press. 

The Oklahoman reported that a ban on sales of smokeable marijuana and the requirement to hire a pharmacist weren’t in the drafted rules that were presented to the board. But those measures were a priority for a coalition of medical groups, which laid out its demands in a press conference on Monday.

Dr. Jean Hausheer, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, told reporters the group had met with interim Health Commissioner Tom Bates and members of the board about its requests. 

Despite the votes on Tuesday, the state Department of Health’s general counsel, Julie Ezell, said that the two new rules they added may not be allowed, The Oklahoman notes, because of a potential court challenge.

In addition to passing medical marijuana, many voters in the state are pushing for legalization of recreational use as well. A petition is currently collecting signatures in Oklahoma to put recreational use on statewide ballots.

Tags Marijuana Oklahoma

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