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Oklahoma Votes to Legalize Medical Marijuana

With 56.8% approval, overcoming eleventh-hour opposition campaign.

Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly backed the medicinal use of marijuana Tuesday despite a late opposition campaign from law enforcement and business, religious, and political leaders. The proposed law will make it legal to grow, sell, and use marijuana for medicinal purposes. Opponents criticized the proposal because it doesn’t outline qualifying conditions, which will allow physicians to authorize marijuana use for a wide range of ailments and illnesses. It passed with 56.8 percent of the vote. Under the law, a two-year medical-marijuana license would allow someone to possess up to eight ounces of marijuana, six mature plants, and six seedlings, along with edibles and concentrated forms of the drug. Gov. Mary Fallin said she feared the proposal would essentially legalize recreational pot and said if it passed she would likely call on lawmakers to return for a special session to set up a regulatory framework for medicinal pot.