Cannabis Industry Making a Difference in Oklahoma

GREEN GIVES BACK:

HOW OKLAHOMA'S CANNABIS INDUSTRY IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AT HOME.

By Kayla Johnson Insta: @ladyofhousej

For decades, people who consume cannabis, even for medical purposes, have been looked down upon, and usually branded with any of the following labels: stoner, pothead, addict, junkie, even criminal. The general consensus has pretty much always been the same, that cannabis consumers have little of value to offer the world, and that they tend to think only of themselves.

Like many of the other stigmas and stereotypes that have been attached to the plant over the years, these mindsets regarding cannabis patients are slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past. More and more people are coming forward with their cannabis use, even those who may have family or loved ones who have been vehemently against it in the past. As those people continue to come forward, the evidence is becoming hard to ignore, because actions do speak louder than words, and these people are proving that they’re not the stereotypes that naysayers think, simply through their actions.

One of those actions that stands out as a vitally important one is helping others, and Oklahoma is setting an entirely new standard when it comes to cannabis and giving back, both through cannacharities or individual efforts. In just over a year since legalization, 176,000 patients (and counting) have obtained their cannabis licenses. The industry that’s supplying those patients is booming, with no end in sight for the growth. Cannabis is thriving here, yet Oklahomans are still making efforts to help other Oklahomans. Rather than focus solely on the economic benefits, there has been a growing movement within the cannabis community here, one focused on giving back in order to help some of the people who need it most. That movement, just like cannabis patients themselves, comes in different varieties and organizations, with different individual goals, but they all share the common drive to see cannabis in the hands of Oklahomans in need.

The Oklahoma Women’s Cannabis Association created Little Buds and Sweet Sisters to help children and underprivileged women be able to not only afford their recommendations, but to ensure that they have access to the information and educational resources they need to learn how cannabis can best help them with their medical needs. Since the charities were founded, they have been able to assist more than ten Little Buds, and twelve Sweet Sisters, and continue to provide resources and support to each patient who’s been through their assistance program. Throughout the year, the OWCA holds events that benefit Little Buds and Sweet Sisters, including the Little Buds Christmas Gala that will be in December once again.

Balanced Veterans of Oklahoma is a state branch of the larger organization, Balanced Veterans, and helps promote cannabis and alternative therapies for veterans as well as providing a much-needed sense of community, something that many veterans find they’re lacking in once they separate or retire from the military. On August 17, they held a ‘Summer Debrief’ event, to bring veterans together within the cannabis community, and on the 26th of August, they held a patient drive, where they were able to give six veterans free recommendations, and provide others who attended with low cost visits for their license. The group also strives to educate veterans on the benefits of cannabis, and also advocates strongly for the rights of veterans who choose to use cannabis as medicine.

Cancer patients, particularly those battling later stage or widespread cancer, often need more concentrated cannabis products, like FECO (full extract cannabis oil), but many struggle with the cost, especially when they are already dealing with high medical bills. Operation Zero, a charity started by Paragon Extracts, is one organization working to provide this critical medicine to patients across the state for nothing more than one penny. They recently held their first major fundraising event to help cover the costs of packaging up their one cent medicine, and have plans for several other fundraising events in the future. Operation Zero was started quite literally the day after a need was seen for affordable medicine for cancer patients, and as word spread, Oklahomans did what Oklahomans do, and quickly began to jump on board. Now, they’ve provided over one thousand grams of FECO to patients in need through forty different dispensaries.

Even this very magazine, The Oklahoma Chronic, helps veterans obtain their recommendations by ensuring that their appointment and any license and filing fees are paid for. We have a specific doctor that they go through to ensure these veterans receive quality care, and information that will help them as they begin exploring cannabis as medicine for their needs. The Chronic is veteran owned, and besides the work for the magazine, the passion of the owners lies in helping their brothers and sisters from the armed services.

Throughout the state, there are other cannabis based charities coming together, some formally, others based on customers and patients simply paying it forward to other customers. That’s the beauty of the cannabis community; whether it’s volunteering or giving donations through one of the many charities, or just a spur of the moment decision to bless the next person in line with a paid-for gift, cannabis patients are helping cannabis patients, not because they have to, but because that’s who they have been all along, despite what the stereotypes have said over the years. Contrary to the opposition’s belief, most people who voted in favor of State Question 788 didn’t do so only for their own benefit. They also did it because they have someone they know or love that could benefit a great deal from using cannabis, and the idea of taking care of the people next to you is a solid piece of the foundation of the Oklahoma cannabis community. These needs in the community are no longer just sitting unfilled, they are being addressed, and real solutions are being put into place where they can be. Cannabis culture has always been, at its core, generous and caring, especially when you’re in need, and this is a prime example of reality blowing the falsehoods about cannabis out of the water.

It doesn’t end with helping only patients. All across the state, some dispensaries and grow supply stores held supply or fund drives, to provide needed school supplies for teachers and students in their towns. Other businesses have written checks to school districts, to help cover the cost of lunch debts, or other needs that schools often have. Others still hold regular canned food drives, many continue to offer voter registration information, and it’s common for dispensaries to offer significant discounts for certain products on certain days, giving people the opportunity to save, something badly needed for Oklahomans on a fixed income. This spirit of giving has also extended to patients who wish to grow for themselves. Home growers now openly discuss grow methods and freely share advice with each other, rather than keeping to themselves, and this kind of generosity is one that keeps on giving in the form of healthier plants, and better homegrown medicine.

The effort from cannabis patients and industry members to give back isn’t just a monetary one. Anyone involved with a charitable group understands that it can be a massive investment of one’s time, to help it move forward, but that fact hasn’t slowed down the organizations here. Individuals who are already pouring long hours into their businesses and families are still finding ways to get involved and give back, even if a financial donation isn’t an option at the time. Many patients are gathering on weekends across the state for community cleanups, or for service projects involving citizens in need in their towns and cities, while others are working to organize recycling bins and centers specifically for cannabis packaging to reduce the impact the industry has on the state’s environment.

For many people within the cannabis industry and community, there’s a sensation that anything is possible in the coming years, and that’s probably fairly accurate; legalization across the nation is continuing to spread, and it’s unlikely that federal prohibition will remain much longer. As it begins to fall to the wayside at last, research and development in all aspects of cannabis will be possible in ways that they’ve never been in the past, opening doors on all sides. As these doors open, it’s vital that this focus on helping the patients who need it most remains, and if the past year has been any indication, then Oklahoma is in a position to be a leader in the nation for providing a wide variety of assistance and aid to patients who need it most.

There’s no denying that cannabis has changed Oklahoma. Despite the doubter and naysayers, we’ve far exceeded expectations at every turn, yet what stands out the most as a constant, even during this age of growth and momentum for cannabis, is simply the fact that the people pushing it forward here in the Sooner State are also reaching back to help the people behind them. There’s no shortage of need in the world, unfortunately, and here at home, it’s no exception, yet rather than simply look the other way or sending positive thoughts, the canna community is taking action, and patients and businesses alike are helping patients to the best of their ability, rather than simply discussing the problem, or sending prayers or good thoughts alone. Despite the stereotypes, stigmas and opposition that lingers, even faintly, Oklahoma is proving that the cannabis industry isn’t just successful, it’s generous, and it cares.