Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Industry Frustrated with Licensing Backlog
Kyle King, a would-be medical marijuana grower, has invested $100,000 in the industry, but is still waiting for the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) to approve his ownership. After over a year of waiting, King is considering taking his business to another state. He is not alone in his frustration, as many others in the industry are facing similar delays.
The issue lies with OMMA’s licensing process, which has been plagued by a massive backlog. The agency is responsible for licensing and regulating growers, processors, and dispensaries, but has failed to meet its own deadlines. According to state law, OMMA is required to approve license renewals within 90 business days, but hundreds of licenses are still pending.
Kyle King, who invested in a growing business called GreenSight 2020 in May 2023, has been checking in with OMMA on a weekly basis, but has been told he’ll need to continue to wait. He cannot earn any money from the business he’s invested in until his ownership is officially recognized.
The backlog has created a “chilling” effect on the growth of the state’s medical marijuana industry, said Mike Ervin, who helped to run the campaign for the state question that legalized medical marijuana. The uncertainty is causing businesses to hesitate, and some are even considering leaving the state.
Jed Green, director of Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action, said that OMMA’s licensing process has come to a “complete standstill.” He believes that the agency is not equipped to handle the volume of applications it is receiving, and that the licensing process is being used as a “crutch” to avoid making decisions.
Felina Rivera, who manages and owns Renaissance Legal Solutions based in Oklahoma City, said that about 30 percent to 40 percent of her clients are lucky enough to have license renewals approved within the mandated approval period. However, she has seen a lack of consistency in responses from OMMA, with some applications being sent back with small errors just before the deadline.
Robert Mikos, professor of law at Vanderbilt University, said that if OMMA were to reject a license renewal and the business has been serving consumers during the review period, there could be a concern for consumers. He believes that the causes of the backlog can vary, but that the state agency is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the industry is regulated and safe.
As part of a license application, a medical marijuana business undergoes public safety
