Medical Cannabis Tracking System Set to Launch in Oklahoma | News by admin - March 1, 2022March 1, 20220 Medical cannabis businesses in Oklahoma have about three months to get in line with the state’s “seed-to-sale” tracking system after a lawsuit that had delayed its implementation finally reached a settlement late last week. The Oklahoman reported that attorneys who had filed a lawsuit regarding the constitutionality of the system said Friday that they “had reached an agreement with the state, clearing the way for the state to move forward.” Oklahoma legislature approved the tracking system in 2019 after voters passed an initiative legalizing medical marijuana. Implementation of the system, which was designed to ensure that production of medical cannabis was in compliance with the state’s law, was postponed last spring after a group of medical cannabis businesses challenged it in court. Dispensaries argued that they shouldn’t be charged fees or other obligations for the implementation of the tracking system. Ron Durbin, an attorney for a cannabis business that brought the lawsuit, also called out the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) for its implementation of the program, which he said came as a result of “backdoor rulemaking.” “I’m arguing those are not the way you adopt regulations, and the regulations don’t require any of this,” Durbin said in June. “If that’s the case, we’re back to where I said we should be, which is: Go adopt some lawfully appropriate regulations to implement your seed-to-sale tracking program. OMMA is way too complicated. Quite frankly, they dropped the ball and didn’t do their job in getting regulations done.” The tracking system will launch within 90 days after an agreement was reached between the state and plaintiffs, according to The Oklahoman. “It’s going to help us with that chain of custody of every single product in the state,” said Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority Director Adria Berry, as quoted by The Oklahoman. “If there is a product that is not in the seed-to-sale tracking system, then it is not legal—and we will be able to discover that quickly.” The Oklahoman, Durbin “said he and the state’s attorney agreed this week to compromise on most of the issues raised in the lawsuit,” and that under the order signed by the judge, “all medical marijuana licensees have 90 days to become compliant with the tracking system.” The agreement represents a major breakthrough for the Sooner State’s medical cannabis program. The agreement comes as activists from Oklahoma look to make cannabis reform a priority and increase access for the state. With the most recent petition drive at the beginning of the year, voters in this state may see two recreational pot options on November’s ballot. That campaign centers around a proposed initiative to “impose a 15 percent excise tax on recreational cannabis sales and includes a criminal justice element that would make the new law apply retroactively, which would allow some drug offenders to have their convictions reversed and records expunged,” The Oklahoman Report at that time. Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action submitted a petition in October to have a referendum proposal for legalizing recreational marijuana for those aged 21 or older. “A lot of this is stuff that has been advocated for by a lot of folks in the community and industry over the last three years, and I don’t see it’s going to make it through the legislative process any time soon,” Jed Green, an organizer of the group, said last year. Share on Facebook Share Share on TwitterTweet Share on Pinterest Share Share on LinkedIn Share Share on Digg Share