Oklahoma voters reject recreational marijuana

A proposal to legalize recreational marijuana was defeated Tuesday in Oklahoma.

Elected in the red state spoke out against the ballot question, preventing Oklahoma from becoming the 22nd state to legalize marijuana for fun.

“We are pleased that the voters have spoken,” said Republican strategist Pat McFerron. “We think this sends a clear signal that voters are unhappy with the recreational nature of our medical system. We also think it shows that voters recognize the criminal aspects, as well as the need to address the state’s mental health needs.”

If approved, the proposal would have allowed anyone over the age of 21 to “purchase and possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, plus concentrates and marijuana-infused products.” Supporters expected a big help from sales taxes.

Oklahoma voted to approve medical marijuana in 2018 and has one of the most lenient programs in the country, with approximately 10% of all adults holding a medical license. That is because no qualification conditions are required – only one recommending physician – according to the National Library of Medicine.

Marijuana entrepreneurs flooded the state, hoping to cash in on the recreational marijuana ballot question.

They saw businesses coming from the nearby Dallas-Fort Worth area, where recreational marijuana is illegal.

“We knew from the beginning that this was going to be an uphill battle,” said Brian Vicente, a member of a committee in support of recreational marijuana in Oklahoma. “Overcoming a century of anti-marijuana propaganda is no easy task, and there is still work to be done.”

with cable news services