A recent lawsuit filed against the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) claims that the organization did not make its meeting agenda available to the public, which violated a state law known as the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act.

The lawsuit is led by Tulsa-based attorney Ron Durbin of Durbin Law – Viridian, who spoke at a rally at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City on July 30. “One of the main reasons I’m here today is, we filed a new lawsuit against the OMMA, against Director Williams, against her secretary, against a lot of the new members of the board of health and the food safety standard board,” Durbin said.

Confusion and frustration are growing in Oklahoma's medical marijuana industry as businesses were supposed to start using new software to track plants in the Sooner State

A class-action lawsuit, however, has put that on hold. Now, growers and dispensary owners told KOCO 5 they are concerned the money they've spent will go to waste.

The implementation of a seed-to-sale tracking system for medical marijuana products in Oklahoma has been delayed by a lawsuit that seeks to transfer the costs of the program to the state. In April, the rollout of the program was postponed until the end of June by a Okmulgee County judge in the case brought by a group of medical marijuana businesses.

Medicinal cannabis patients from across the country would be permitted to participate in Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program under a bill working its way through the state legislature. The measure, House Bill 2022, has been referred to the Oklahoma Senate’s Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee after being approved by the House of Representatives last month. 

In 2020, Norman’s medical marijuana industry quickly proved to be an emerging market.

The marijuana industry locally and statewide more than doubled its revenue compared to 2019, as the state’s new industry grew to one of the biggest marijuana markets in the country. While some attribute the industry’s success to the COVID-19 pandemic, others suggest medical marijuana would’ve seen continual growth in 2020 regardless.

Below is a summary of the industry’s growth in 2020 in Norman and statewide, its impact on local residents and what experts expect for medical marijuana in 2021.

The coronavirus pandemic made 2020 one of the worst years financially for most industries in the United States. Restaurants, bars, airlines, oil and gas all saw hard times last year.

But one industry in Oklahoma saw a boon in 2020: Medical marijuana.

"Really taking a look at the tax numbers over that time, climbed really steadily, and reached a peak of $5.5 million in that excise tax collection in June of 2020," says Dr. Kelly Williams, the interim Director at the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. "Just a year before, in June of 2019, we only had $2.1 million in excise tax collection."

After three straight months of declining sales, statewide medical marijuana dispensaries saw an increase in revenue in November.

According to the most recent data from the Oklahoma Tax Commission, statewide dispensaries remitted $11.8 million in total revenue in November, an increase of more than $1 million from the $10.7 million dispensaries remitted in October. The latest OTC marijuana data reflects data collected two months prior.

November marks the first month since July that statewide dispensaries remitted more revenue than the previous month.

Holiday festivities have been curtailed by the global resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its unprecedented social and economic effects. During this turbulent season, cannabis companies all over North America continue to do what they can to support local charities and populations in need.

So, let this 2020 holiday season be lit with the warmth of giving. Here’s a short list of holiday fundraising activities led by cannabis industry members, bringing happiness and help to so many for the season as we all look forward to a new year in 2021:

After a flurry of activity, 27 US states now have hemp plans approved by the US Department of Agriculture.

The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill saw hemp no longer classified a Controlled Substance, and the USDA was directed to approve hemp production plans submitted by states and Indian tribes to ensure hemp would be grown in harmony with the Bill and regulations set by the Department.