OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Plans to completely legalize marijuana can proceed to the signature-gathering stage, the Oklahoma Supreme Court docket dominated, paving the way in which for 2 extra hashish plans searching for voter approval.
The excessive courtroom’s ruling late Tuesday comes amid a marijuana increase within the Sooner State after voters in 2018 authorised probably the most liberal medical marijuana program within the U.S. Almost 10% of Oklahoma’s 4 million residents have certified for a medical-use card, by far the very best proportion within the nation.
Supporters of the 2 separate proposals nonetheless want to collect sufficient signatures to place the plans on the poll for voters. The plans authorised Tuesday, State Query 819 and a companion State Query 818, would amend the Oklahoma Structure to guard the suitable of residents age 21 and older to make use of marijuana. It is a part of a nationwide push to legalize the leisure use of hashish for adults, which 18 states and the District of Columbia have already authorised.
As a result of the 2 proposals search to amend the structure, supporters should collect extra signatures, about 178,000 in 90 days, for them to qualify for the poll.
“Whether or not we’ll get on the November poll this yr stays to be seen,” mentioned Jed Inexperienced, a longtime Oklahoma hashish activist behind the plans. “We will push, push and push to get it carried out, and hopefully we do, however … we’ll get our signatures.”
A separate adult-use proposal, State Query 820, already has been cleared by the excessive courtroom and since it might solely amend state statute, requires solely about 95,000 signatures. Supporters of that plan can start gathering signatures on Might 3.
Supporters of each proposals say growers in Oklahoma’s booming hashish trade have a watch towards Texas, the nation’s largest prohibition state with 29 million residents. New Mexico, which borders each Oklahoma and Texas, already legalized grownup use and topped $2 million in gross sales throughout its first day of gross sales earlier this month.
“We have seen success that the tribes have had with casinos alongside the Texas border,” mentioned Michelle Tilley, an organizer behind SQ 820. “There is a nationwide market already.”
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