Oklahoma Cannabis and CBD Regulations
In 2018, Oklahoma joined multiple other states who have legalized medical cannabis. The state-governed program has been lauded for being “patient-friendly” and “transparent”, a welcomed change for the industry. To legally purchase and possess cannabis in the Sooner State, a valid medical marijuana card issued by the state is required. Recreational cannabis is not legalized here but CBD oil is legal for all; a license is not required for use, as long as the CBD is derived from industrial hemp. Oklahoma cannabis laws provide an opportunity for more people to get access to cannabis while Oklahoma CBD law and regulations allow almost all adults to purchase their CBD products.
Oklahoma Cannabis Laws
Upon approval, licenses for medical marijuana are valid for two years. Oklahoma medical marijuana laws are refreshingly nonrestrictive: unlike other states with legalized medical marijuana programs, Oklahoma does not require specific health conditions to qualify. Doctors do not need to be qualified either, any Oklahoma doctor can prescribe medical marijuana as a treatment for those with licenses. Medical patients are allowed to possess up to eight ounces of marijuana in a residence, one ounce of concentrated marijuana, 72 ounces of edible marijuana, six mature marijuana plants, six seedling plants, and three ounces of marijuana on their person. Legal cannabis products here include flower, edibles, tinctures, oils, topical rubs, butters, vapes, seeds and pre-rolls.
It is legal to consume cannabis edibles anywhere in the state of Oklahoma, and it is legal to smoke cannabis anywhere the smoking of tobacco is permitted. Dispensaries are abundant here, especially in the cities of Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Norman. One restriction does exist for cannabis: delivery services are not permitted in the state.
Growing Cannabis in Oklahoma
Those intending to grow cannabis for sale must obtain a growers license. The application fee for a grower, processor, dispensary or transporter is $2,500. Application and processing fees are non-refundable. Oklahoma has issued over 10,000 active business licenses, including 6,769 for growers, 2,090 for dispensaries and two researchers. There are more than 370,000 participants in the medical marijuana program. As a reference, Oklahoma’s overall population, as of 2020, was 3,980,783. In the year 2020, Oklahoma medical marijuana sales reached $831 million-plus, more than double the sales of the previous year, per the Oklahoma Tax Commission. Retailers generated $71.6 million in state and local taxes in 2020; 2019 numbers were $30.6 million.
Oklahoma CBD Law and Regulations
Using CBD products in Oklahoma is even less restrictive: no doctor’s prescription or signing up for a state program is required. CBD can be legally purchased as an over-the-counter product, either in a physical store or online, but it must not contain more than 0.3% THC or 0.3% Delta-9-tetrahydro cannabidiol. Additionally, all legal CBD is derived from industrial hemp. CBD products complying with these regulations may be legally used in Oklahoma by minors under a doctor’s supervision.
Oklahoma legally defines “industrial hemp” as the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of the plant, including the seeds thereof, and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than three-tenths of one percent (0.3%) on a dry-weight basis, per Oklahoma Senate Bill 238. Retail Hemp and CBD products must comply with all state hemp laws, including that products must contain no more than 0.3% THC, products must come from a registered farm, and products must be tested by a licensed laboratory.
Per state law, CBD products must be pre-packed, and retailers must be licensed. Hemp for CBD production cannot be grown in a residential setting; only licensed manufacturers and growers supervised by the state Department of Agriculture are allowed to grow and harvest hemp. A license is also required to test hemp oil CBD products. Labeling regulations state any manufactured product containing CBD must identify on the label the country of origin of the cannabidiol and whether the cannabidiol is synthetic or natural. A license is not required for adding derivatives of hemp, including hemp-derived CBD, to cosmetics, personal care products and products intended for human or animal consumption. Compliance with food safety and licensure laws, rules and regulations as set forth under the Oklahoma Public Health Code are still in effect, however.
Multiple types of legal hemp oil exist, including PCR, isolate, full-spectrum, CBG and broad-spectrum. Oklahoma state hemp laws allow for a wide variety of products like topicals, concentrates, and extracts, as well as industrial hemp for building or fiber materials and food products.
Yearning for more info about Oklahoma’s cannabis and CBD markets? September 3rd through 4th, Oklahoma City will host a Lucky Leaf Expo to inform and connect the rapidly growing world of CBD, hemp and cannabis. The event features expert speakers and a showroom full of exhibitors covering topics such as science, health and wellness, cultivation, business strategies, new opportunities, legal, branding, start-ups, growth, policy reform and more. Plus, experience the traveling hemp museum! Not soon enough? Sign up for July’s Lucky Leaf Expo in Dallas, July 9th and 10th.