Activists behind the Oklahomans for Health medical cannabis legalization campaign have submitted enough signatures to secure a spot on the ballot, according to a KOKH Fox 25 report.
The development was confirmed by Gov. Mary Fallin and Secretary of State Chris Benge’s office, which announced on August 23 that it had counted 67,761 petition signatures supporting the campaign — surpassing the 65,987 signature requirement.
Joe Dorman, former member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and now board member of the state’s current MMJ campaign, called the development “historic.”
“[This] is the very first volunteer-driven petition to see success in the state of Oklahoma,” Dorman said. “No other volunteer petition has achieved this opportunity to make the ballot.”
If passed, the initiative would legalize the licensed cultivation, distribution, and use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. According to the campaign’s website, it would establish the first MMJ program without a”qualifying conditions committee” — meaning that “if your doctor believes medical marijuana is right for you, under this law you can get access to it.” For patients who are minors, it would take the recommendation of two doctors.
The campaign still faces some hurdles before receiving complete approval for the November ballot, including a Supreme Court ruling on the counted signatures, as well as a review process by Attorney General Scott Pruitt and then the general public. Some officials have warned that — given the short time window that remains — November may be a long-shot for the initiative, but the question would still be posed to voters in the next election.
The Oklahoma legislature passed a law that allows the limited use of medical cannabis oils earlier this year.