Stakes are high on state question as reform reaches the ballot March 7

Georgia Jones

Writer

Contributing

Oklahomans are voting on SQ 820, the referendum to determine if recreational cannabis will be legalized. If passed, Oklahoma would join 22 other states in legalizing recreational use for persons 21 or older.

The Oklahoma Tax Commission would collect a 15% excise tax on recreational use sales, and could bring massive funding for the state. Additionally, up to 30% of the revenue would go directly to public school programs to address substance abuse and improve student retention.

The opposition group, Protect our Kids: No SQ 820, claims that the bill will increase marijuana usage in children.

“Being villainized for trying to help people is never a good feeling,” said Jamie, a local dispensary owner. “People act like we drive around, passing out drugs to children, when we’re helping adults and seniors with body pain, severe anxiety, depression, insomnia, migraines, all kinds of pain. Some of my more common patients are veterans with extreme trauma from active duty. The relief people get is what makes the job worth it. We pay our employees well and provide full benefits. It’s just like any other medical position – with a stigma.”

When SQ 788 made medical cannabis legal in 2018, it won with 57% of the vote. This year, backers of the campaign hope that younger voters will finally turn out. In Oklahoma’s midterm elections in November 2022, 76% of voters 30 and younger did not vote, a large enough margin to push SQ 820 towards enactment.

Considering younger voters are a key demographic that would benefit the most from the bill passing, proponents are hoping the recreational, medical and economic benefits will be enough to bring them to the polls.

“Beyond what it would do for my personal business, passing the bill would help the state immensely,” Jamie added. “They’ve done the research in other states, from as far as New York to just next door in New Mexico – taxing medicinal marijuana could bring huge funding to Oklahoma. Not only could people access relief without struggle, but we could have better schools, better parks. It would simply benefit Oklahomans. Fear-mongering people out of relief for their pain is selfish, in my opinion. If you don’t like marijuana, don’t use it. It’s pretty simple.”

SQ 820 is the first state question to be presented to voters outside a primary or general election since September 2005. It was intended to be on the midterm ballot from November, but Gov. Kevin Stitt chose March 7 after the state Supreme Court said there ‘wasn’t enough time’ to process the initiative petition.