Governor Stitt signed the "Unity Bill" on March 14th, 2019, more formerly known as the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana and Patient Protection Act. The legislation passed through the House and the Senate, with input from significant sectors including law enforcement, banks, tax commission leaders, chambers of commerce, and cannabis advocates. The Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat stated the goal of the legislation is to “ensure that State Question 788 would be implemented in the most efficient and responsible way possible” and so the law can be “implemented as intended”.
The Unity Bill clarifies SQ 788, which created the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) under the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) to regulate the medical marijuana program, including the authority to investigate alleged violations of the law and administer penalties. It also establishes the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Revolving Fund for fines and fees collected by the OMMA. Other changes include:
- Establishing requirements for testing medical marijuana inventories for contaminants and THC/CBD content
- Requiring the use of child-resistant containers at the point of sale
- Labeling requirements including a universal symbol for THC, potency, a statement that the product has been tested for contaminants, and a ban on the packaging that is made to appeal to children
- A ban on counties making laws that restrict access to medical marijuana
- A ban on licensed medical marijuana users being denied access to safety net programs such as SNAP and Medicaid because of marijuana use
- Affirming the right of medical marijuana patients to own firearms
- Restrictions on smokable marijuana in public that mirror restrictions on public tobacco use
- Reduced license fees for veterans who are 100 percent disabled
- “Seed-to-sale” inventory tracking requirements for dispensaries
- Creation of a caregiver license, which would authorize caregivers to buy and deliver products to a medical marijuana license holder
- Rules and regulations for establishing medical marijuana businesses including commercial growers, processors, transporters, laboratories for testing, and dispensaries
- Regulations on medical marijuana research
Read the Unity Bill for yourself here: https://www.sos.ok.gov/documents/legislation/57th/2019/1R/HB/2612.pdf
