Legislation of medical cannabis across the U.S.
Legislation surrounding medical cannabis in the United States has been evolving rapidly in recent years. As of 2023, the legislative landscape reveals a diverse approach across states. Polls indicate that about 90% of Americans support allowing medical cannabis, yet only 23 states have legalized cannabis for adults, with nine of these laws enacted by state legislatures. Additionally, 12 states lack even a medical cannabis law, and 19 states still penalize simple possession of cannabis. States like Kentucky, Delaware, and Minnesota have recently enacted laws relating to medical or adult-use cannabis. For instance, Kentucky became the 38th state to legalize medical cannabis, while Delaware and Minnesota legalized adult-use cannabis. [1]
In Oklahoma, several significant legislative updates related to medical cannabis have been made in 2023. House Bill 2095 extends the moratorium on new medical marijuana business licenses until 2026 and introduces a national fingerprint-based background check for commercial licensees. It also authorizes unannounced on-site inspections by various state agencies and sets penalties for medical marijuana businesses that evade taxes. Senate Bill 813 permits the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (“OMMA”) to operate a quality assurance laboratory and clarifies various operational aspects of the medical cannabis industry. Other notable changes include the requirement for commercial medical marijuana growers to have a surety bond or proof of land ownership (Senate Bill 913) and the establishment of a Medical Marijuana Tax Fund and an Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority Fund (Senate Bill 18X). [2] [3]
These developments reflect the ongoing federal and state efforts to comply with the complex and evolving landscape of cannabis legislation. While the trend appears to be moving towards more widespread acceptance and legalization, significant variations in the approach and extent of legalization persist across different states.
The transformative impact of federal medical cannabis legalization
The federal legalization of medical cannabis offers several significant benefits. Firstly, it would remove cannabis from the illegal market, allowing for taxation and regulation. This shift would ensure oversight and testing of cannabis products, ensuring quality control and accurate labeling. Such a move also has the potential to reduce the over-policing of communities of color and minorities, who have been disproportionately affected by drug laws. As for medical use, conditions like pain, insomnia, anxiety, and PTSD are commonly treated with medical cannabis, highlighting the need for more clinical trials to understand its efficacy better.
In the context of Oklahoma, the benefits of interstate trade of medical cannabis following federal legalization could be substantial. Oklahoma’s medical cannabis industry is already thriving, and opening up to interstate commerce could further boost this sector. It would allow Oklahoma to export its cannabis products to other states, potentially increasing revenue and creating more jobs in the cannabis industry. Moreover, this would also give Oklahoma a competitive edge in the national cannabis market, attracting investment and innovation in cannabis-related products and services.
[1] https://www.mpp.org/issues/legislation/key-marijuana-policy-reform/
[2] https://oklahoma.gov/omma/rules-and-legislation/legislative-updates.html
[3] https://oklahoma.gov/omma/rules-and-legislation/rules.html
