Oklahoma Cannabis Agency Lays Off 10% of Employees Amid Industry Downturn

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) announced this week the agency is laying off 10% of its workforce in response to the state’s shrinking medical cannabis industry, according to Tulsa World.

“With commercial license numbers decreasing, it was imperative we find efficiencies in our operations. In the coming weeks, we will introduce the new organizational structure for our agency. Your expertise and ideas will be crucial in this phase.” — OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry, in an email to agency employees, via Tulsa World

The reductions will affect between 25-30 employees and only “positions that no longer serve the needs of the agency” will be eliminated, OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry told employees via email.

There are currently about 6,600 licensed cannabis companies operating in Oklahoma but the number has been declining for years, and the current total is down 25% from the start of 2023, the report said. The downturn follows significant efforts by lawmakers and officials to rein in Oklahoma’s medical cannabis industry, which in 2023 was producing 64 times more cannabis than its patient base demanded.

“Righting this ship meant taking a hard look at where we are spending our time and energy as an agency in light of decreasing commercial license numbers and a limited appropriated budget,” Berry wrote.

Oklahoma state lawmakers in 2022 set a two-year licensing moratorium on new medical cannabis licenses and, earlier this year, they extended the moratorium another two years until 2026.