This year, backers of SQ 820 are hoping voters will approve a legal consumer market with tradeoffs: Higher taxes than those in the medical market but no patient registration requirements with the government. He lives in Oklahoma City. Meanwhile, Protect our Kids No 820 has spent more than $200,000 so far. Oklahoma voters reject legalizing recreational marijuana Frank Keating to lead campaign against recreational marijuana", "Voter Turnout a Question Mark Leading Up to Recreational Marijuana Vote", "Oklahoma GOP Leaders Urge Voters To Reject Marijuana Legalization Measure On Ballot Next Week", "39 of Oklahoma's 48 State Senators urge NO Vote on SQ 820", "Oklahoma lawmakers voice opinions on State Question 820", "What to know about SQ 820 and legalizing recreational marijuana in Oklahoma", "Debate: Stitt, Hofmeister tussle over state performance, McGirt and abortion", "To legalize or not to legalize? State Question 820 would make it legal for people to have up to one ounce of weed for adult use, grow up to six cannabis plants, and create a pathway to expunge some prior marijuana offenses. See full results and maps from the Oklahoma elections. It would have until Sept. 3, which is 90 days after the effective date of the law on June 5. Eight hours of drug education or counseling could take the place of the fine. Xcaret Nuez covers agriculture and rural communities for KOSU as a corps member with Report for America. 3 State Question No. Robby Korth joined KOSU as its news director in November 2022. "Oklahoma is a law and order state," Stitt said in a statement after Tuesday's vote. ", More:Many Americans arrested for marijuana won't find relief under Biden's pardon plan. You cant really tell without using a scale, because it depends on the density of the flower. alerts signers that the state question does not impact medical marijuana. Closing arguments made on State Question 820 as Oklahoma voters head to | MORE | What's next for recreational marijuana in Oklahoma after State Question 820 failed? Taylor Thompson, who works as a public defender in Oklahoma County, said she supported the state question not only for herself as a medicinal user, but for the clients she sees still arrested and incarcerated for marijuana possession and use. on each sale, with surplus revenue going to student services, drug addiction treatment programs, courts, local government, and the state General Revenue Fund. [5], A petition was filed with the Oklahoma Supreme Court in August, after certification, to ensure the measure appears on the November 2022 ballot despite various administrative deadlines that may have expired while the initiative petition signatures were being counted. After a short period where objections can be filed, the Secretary of State sends the petition to the Governor and the State Election Board. Grow operations, black market or legal, also tax rural water and power resources. Mr. Stitt set the date of Tuesdays election, a day in March when no other statewide races are on the ballot. The law will have a fiscal impact on the State. "We think this sends a clear message that Oklahomans oppose the unfettered access to marijuana we have experienced under our so-called medical program. I feel like we already have recreational marijuana. After Missouri legalized weed, will Oklahoma voters take the - KCUR In June 2018, SQ 788 established the states medical marijuana program and passed, 56 to 43 percent, performing well in Oklahoma City and Tulsa while holding its own in some of the states more populous rural counties. They dont believe individuals should be put in jail for cannabis use because its an outdated practice that needs to end. It was defeated . Marijuana use and possession remain crimes under federal law. What does one ounce of marijuana look like? State Question 820, the result of a signature gathering drive last year, was the only item on the statewide ballot, and early results showed heavy opposition in rural areas. Ngy 16 thng 11 nm 2021, Chnh ph ban . Your support makes this news available to everyone. would legalize adult-use recreational marijuana in Oklahoma. Voters can only cast a ballot at their assigned polling location. The law limits certain marijuana-related conduct and establishes quantity limits, safety standards, restrictions, and penalties for violations. They can also grow up to six mature marijuana plants and six marijuana seedlings at home, but only if they are out of public sight. Its supported by groups like the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Oklahoma Faith Leaders. Three states reject recreational marijuana: Will Oklahoma pass SQ 820 Would the passage of SQ 820 affect the existing medical marijuana program approved by voters in June 2018? There are more than 7,000 growers, 2,800 dispensaries and 369,000 medical marijuana patients in the state. except that a lease agreement may not prohibit a tenant from lawfully possessing and consuming marijuana by means other than smoking. In addition to marijuana legalization, the law creates a pathway for courts to resentence, reverse, modify and expunge certain prior marijuana-related conviction records. Recreational marijuana: Oklahoma leaders' reaction to SQ 820 vote What are the personal-use protections under SQ 820? Proponents of the measure had been worried that low turnout could doom their efforts. Voters resoundingly shot down State Question 820, which would have made recreational pot legal in the state. Taylor Thompson, who works as a public defender in Oklahoma County, said she supported the state question not only for herself as a medicinal user, but for the clients she sees still arrested and incarcerated for marijuana possession and use. Weed fatigue and the silent majority: At times in November, some polls showed Gov. What to know about SQ 820 and legalizing recreational marijuana - KOSU This measure creates a state law legalizing recreational use marijuana for persons 21 or older. at a marijuana grow operation in Kingfisher County. But others are hoping Oklahomans say No to SQ 820, joining Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota as states that recently rejected recreational marijuana. Perhaps getting to the polls to vote to legalize marijuana may not be many peoples top priority. It would also generate hundreds of millions in added tax benefits over its first five years, according to those who favor the citizen-petition proposal. Oklahomans have embraced weed: Since the state started its medical program, about 400,000 people have held medical patient licenses, which is roughly 10 percent of the states overall population. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. How would adult-use cannabis sales be taxed? Individuals 21 and older can have one ounce (28 grams) or less of marijuana, 8 grams or less of marijuana concentrate and/or 8 grams of marijuana in infused or edible products. The vote on Tuesday was a setback for marijuana legalization proponents in Oklahoma who had anticipated that laissez-faire economic attitudes and growing support among younger Republicans would provide a pathway for the state to join a diverse assortment of 21 states and the District of Columbia in adopting legal recreational marijuana, from Alaska and the Mountain West to the coasts and parts of the Midwest. Your support makes this news available to everyone. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he wrote on topics such as the abolition of cash bail and the effectiveness of restorative justice. Kevin Stitt and Attorney General Gentner Drummond both issued statements praising the outcome of the vote, reiterating their goals of cracking down on the black market and organized crime that sprang out of the state's medical marijuana industry. Referendums and Initiatives require the least number of signatures at 5% and 8% respectively. What would still be illegal if SQ820 passes? [10][11], On October 18, 2022, the governor slated a special election to occur on March 7, 2023, which would include the initiative. Generally, you can fill a plastic sandwich bag to the top and it comes close to an ounce of marijuana. On August 30, the court ordered that it would adjudicate whether or not the 2022 ballot would include SQ 820, despite the Oklahoma Election Board's position that August 29 was that statutory deadline. What's next for recreational marijuana in Oklahoma after State Question After this review, the Secretary of State submits the signed petition to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Initiatives for Constitutional Changes require 15%. Along with picking up new customers who don't have a medical marijuana card, the industry would have seen an influx of consumers from other states. 1:45. "Stick it out, he said. A bill introduced in Oklahoma this legislative session would place new restrictions on ballot initiatives, including barring them from even-numbered years, when turnout is higher. State Question 820: Recreational Marijuana Legalization Initiative In Oklahoma, ballot initiatives are drafted by their proponents and then submitted to the Oklahoma Secretary of State who then must notify the Governor, the Oklahoma Election Board, and publish a notice so that any citizen of the state may file a protest as to the constitutionality of the ballot initiative. . We have rural areas that have seen high-profile execution murders in Hennessey, and there is also the issue of foreign land ownership and the strain on water and electric grids in some places.. Low voter turnout could, in theory, favor the No campaign. What you need to know about SQ 820, the proposal to approve - Yahoo Yes on 820 Campaign Director Michelle Tilley said, I challenge our legislature, I challenge our governor, this in your hands now., "This wasn't about legalizing marijuana. Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley also opposes SQ 820. Rejected Initiative or Referendum Measures require 25%. Adults 21 and older who possess, produce or transport no more than twice the limits of personal use products could face civil fines of $200 or less and forfeiture of the product. "No" to legalizing recreational marijuana sales, law enforcement, religious leaders and public school administrators, Here's where marijuana laws stand in each state. Where would the tax revenue from adult-use sales go? "We are obviously pleased with the results, Vote No campaign spokesman Pat McFerron said. In states with legal marijuana, the revenue from taxing sales is a significant source of funds for state programs. Crime and rural tumult: In December, four people were murdered at a marijuana grow operation in Kingfisher County. Oklahoma State Question 820 Election Results: Marijuana Legalization Statute based state questions can be altered after their passing through normal legislation passed by the Oklahoma Legislature and signed by the Governor of Oklahoma. Why do you want to link that with a substance that creates so much havoc, especially with children, Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said at a League of Women Voters forum in Tulsa in February. If enthusiasm matters in a low-turnout election, the organization could put SQ 820 over the top. Oklahoma SQ 820: Get live results for the recreational marijuana vote On Tuesday, voters across Oklahoma opted against going further, according to The Associated Press, rejecting a ballot initiative that would have legalized recreational marijuana use by adults 21 and over. The law requires resentencing, reversing, modifying, and expunging certain prior marijuana-related judgments and sentences unless the State proves an unreasonable risk to a person. David Gateley joined Oklahoma Policy Institute in August 2021 as the Criminal Justice Policy Analyst. The law does not affect an employer's ability to restrict employee marijuana use. KOSU is nonprofit and independent. . Pht hin mu giy i ng mi H Ni 'qut m khng thy thng tin' As expected, law enforcement has largely opposed SQ 820. She said she hopes this wakes people up who felt like they didnt need to get out and vote. The state would impose a 15% excise tax on each sale, with surplus revenue going to student services, drug addiction treatment programs, courts, local government, and the state General Revenue Fund. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Its unclear what voters will do. He said he had supported medical marijuana and called Tuesdays vote a difficult choice.. Recreational cannabis wont be legal in Oklahoma. The Governor of Oklahoma chooses the date of the vote on the ballot initiative. The vote comes as legal marijuana grow operations and dispensaries have budded throughout Oklahoma in the wake of medical marijuana legalization nearly five years ago. This is just a matter of when change is coming, Tilley said. Thirteen percent were undecided. Michelle Tilley was the campaign manager for State Question 820. U.S. Oklahoma voters say "no" to recreational marijuana question Updated on: March 7, 2023 / 9:44 PM / CBS/AP Oklahoma voters rejected a state question Tuesday to allow for the recreational. Stitt knows how to get, how to get to Override Street, In close runoff, Comanche Nation citizens unseat two incumbents, Roll-up round up: Stitt vetoes omnibus bill, signs new laws on license fees, lab, Drawing no opponent, Chickasaw Nation Gov. less popular in many rural western and southern counties, campaigned against other efforts in the past, Yes on 820-Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, See stories by Paul Monies of Oklahoma Watch, Oklahomans in 12 storm-impacted counties to receive replacement SNAP benefits, Veto override fails, COVID funding audit, controversial education rules and more, Talihina veterans home closure on hold in Eastern Oklahoma, Oklahoma lobbyist spending rebounds from pandemic-era decline, New report commissioned by OMMA finds 'oversupply' of medical marijuana product, Oklahoma Legislature's funding scheme handcuffs Ethics Commission enforcement, The NCAA looks to weed out marijuana from its banned drug list. Opponents included the governor, Kevin Stitt, along with dozens of Republican state lawmakers and some law enforcement and agricultural associations. Instead, Oklahoma's marijuana laws will remain as-is, barring any significant changes considered by lawmakers this year. Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day. Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, a group that supports the measure, delivered more than 164,000 signatures to the secretary of states office at the Oklahoma State Capitol in July 2022. approved a state constitutional amendment, a two-year moratorium on new medical marijuana business licenses, is already straining rural infrastructure, seeking to limit the ability of voters to directly decide such questions, would place new restrictions on ballot initiatives. Every county voted against the state question. "The other thing to keep in mind is that this is not the end of the effort to end prohibition in the state of Oklahoma. In October, Amber Integrated found SQ 820. but there have been no public polls released since. It. That is State Question 820", "How Oklahoma's cannabis business could change if recreational weed is legalized", "Editorial: Yes on SQ 820 will bring more guardrails, oversight to the industry", "A commonsense proposal": Wikinews interviews Michelle Tilley, Campaign Director for Yes on 820, Oklahoma State Question 820, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2022), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2023_Oklahoma_State_Question_820&oldid=1161006033, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, This page was last edited on 20 June 2023, at 01:24. I also think there were people who voted for medical marijuana the last time around who feel like they may have been sold a bill of goods and that it hasnt been delivered in the way it was advertised.. A local government may prohibit or restrict recreational marijuana use on the property of the local government and regulate the time, place, and manner of the operation of marijuana businesses within its boundaries. In addition to marijuana legalization, the law creates a pathway for courts to resentence, reverse, modify and expunge certain prior marijuana-related conviction records. Weve seen steady support the whole way, and I think its holding pretty well. Oklahomans have voted against a state question that would have legalized recreational marijuana in the Sooner State, according to the Associated Press. The group said it has spent $790,000 in 2023 on TV commercials, digital ads, canvassing materials and mailers, according to campaign reports filed Monday. The fine could be waived if the person completes four hours of drug education or counseling. Any excess would be split among public school grants for programs for at-risk students and after-school enrichment activities (30%); the states general revenue fund (30%); drug-treatment grants (20%); local governments (10%); and state courts (10%). "We are obviously pleased with the results," said Pat McFerron, a campaign advisor for the No 820 campaign. David is a member of the Oklahoma State Bar. Another supporter, Claire Frushour, said she was sad and disappointed about the results. Weve known all along it will come down to reaching voters and getting them to vote.. Oklahoma Gov. There have been discussions among industry groups about asking the Legislature to change the agency's name if SQ 820 were to pass. Ngh quyt 68/NQ-CP 2014 gia nhp Bn ghi nh th im t chng nhn Oklahoma vote on recreational weed is Tuesday - Southwest Times Record After graduation, he earned his J.D. The state question also creates a licensing process for recreational marijuana dispensaries, commercial growers, processors, and transporters, and it directs the state to create rules for the preparation and labeling of marijuana products within 90 days after becoming law. Trong ngy Cnh st giao thng v Thanh tra giao thng H Ni trin khai kim sot, x l ngi v phng tin vi phm ti 21 cht trc vo vng (vng 1). The following was compiled by Oklahoma Watch from interviews, research and public statements by supporters and opponents. Another supporter, Claire Frushour, said she was sad and disappointed about the results. a resounding "No" to legalizing recreational marijuana, law enforcement, religious leaders and public school administrators, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Many Americans arrested for marijuana won't find relief under Biden's pardon plan. , and the criminal justice component is one reason why. Recreational marijuana has been adopted so far in a diverse assortment of 21 states and the District of Columbia, from Alaska and the Mountain West to the coasts and parts of the Midwest. But will it pass? Its well-funded, with TV ads going on the air and mailers and door knockers deployed across the state. Former Gov. She said she does not think recreational marijuana will fail in Oklahoma like it did not Arkansas. Products will be tested, labeled, and tracked from seed-to-sale; employers will be able to maintain a drug-free workplace . Weve all heard stories about people who get in trouble for marijuana, which is their introduction to the criminal justice system which can cost people their livelihood. For the proposal YES; Against the proposal NO. Over 61% of voters rejected State Question 820, which was criticized by some law enforcement, religious leaders and public school administrators in the closing weeks of the campaign as a step too far. Perhaps getting to the polls to vote to legalize marijuana may not be many peoples top priority. Polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information and to check your registration, visit the OK Voter Portal. [4] On August 22, 2022, the initiative was confirmed to have over 117,000 validated signatures of the 95,000 needed to qualify for the ballot. However, recreational use of marijuana remains illegal in Oklahoma. Our mental health professionals confirm that the use of todays high THC product leads to psychoses and schizophrenia, two diagnoses that are directly tied to homelessness.. Excise tax revenues will fund implementation of the law, with any surplus revenues going to public school programs to address substance abuse and improve student retention (30%), the General Revenue und (30%), drug addiction treatment programs (20%), courts (10%), and local governments (10%). Support Journalism. Some opponents recognize the need to address the effects of older marijuana convictions but said legalizing marijuana isnt the answer. What cannabis can (and cant) do for chronic pain. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Citizens have 10 days to file a protest with the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Organizers said most of that was spent on getting the initiative through the petition process and to a statewide ballot. Shall the proposal be approved? Nobody should be getting arrested for weed at this point, Thompson said at the Yes on 820 watch party Tuesday night. Once collected, the signed petitions are submitted to the Secretary of State for counting. The gist of State Question No. Oklahoma voters say "no" to recreational marijuana question Kateleigh Mills is the Special Projects reporter for KOSU. SQ 820 would allow individuals to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, 6 mature marijuana plants, and 6 seedling plants. [, Media: Oklahoma voters to decide recreational marijuana question in March special election [, Media: Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use [, Media: How states have reshaped marijuana laws and whats next [, Context: Marijuanas racist history shows the need for comprehensive drug reform [, Context: Recreational marijuana: SQ 820 signature collections starts today [, Context: Why Recreational Marijuana Isnt On the November Ballot [, Context: Biden Administration Takes Steps on Marijuana Justice Reform: [, Context: Cannabis Legalization for Adult Use (commonly referred to as recreational use) [, Deadline: Postmarked or Delivered by February 10, 2023.