Oklahoma Attorney General And Lawyer Clash Over Medical Marijuana Enforcement

Oklahoma's Attorney General Gentner Drummond commented on a new law signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt that is designed to assist law enforcement in combatting unlawful marijuana cultivation in the state.

“The illegal marijuana industry is crawling with Mexican cartels and Chinese crime syndicates that pose a serious threat to public safety, particularly in our rural communities,” Drummond said.

He added that the new legislation will provide the Attorney General's Office and law enforcement partners with the necessary means and power to put an end to these hazardous criminal activities, per Journal Record.

About The Measure: HB 2095 provides more authority to the Attorney General's Office, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to implement and enforce the state's medical marijuana regulations. It also permits the AG to conduct on-site inspections, seize and destroy illegal products, and enter into agreements with other state agencies to combat illegal marijuana grow operations.

In addition, the legislation extends a moratorium on new grow licenses through 2026 to give law enforcement more time to shut down illegal marijuana farms.

Meanwhile, a lawyer for medical marijuana businesses challenged the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) over recent emergency shutdowns of businesses for minor infractions, such as missing tags on some products.

Attorney Ronald Durbin seeks to combat illegal marijuana sales while advocating for more opportunities for entrepreneurs, reported Oklahoma's News 4. “Go after them, I absolutely agree there is a public health and safety emergency in the state of Oklahoma related to cannabis but they picked a fight against the innocent,” he said.

The OMMA responded that they are committed to promoting public health and safety through proper medical cannabis practices and that they have only issued emergency orders to approximately 0.5% of licensed businesses due to non-compliance with regulations.

Photo: Courtesy Of Karsten Winegeart On Unsplash