Oklahoma Governor Wants Voters To Revisit Medical Marijuana Legalization Law And ‘Shut It Down’

The Republican governor of Oklahoma says he wants voters to revisit the
state’s medical marijuana law and “shut it down,” arguing that “liberal
activists” conned the state and “opened up Pandora’s box’ with legalization.

During his State of the State address on Monday, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said
his “top priority has always been keeping Oklahoma safe,” and one of the
“greatest threats to public safety is the out-of-control marijuana
industry.”

“When Oklahomans voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2018, we were sold
a bill of goods,” he said. “Out of state liberal activists preyed on the
compassionate nature of Oklahomans. Then, it opened up Pandora’s box.”

The governor complained that the state has “more dispensaries than we do
pharmacies,” adding that marijuana retailers “hide an industry that enables
cartel activity, human trafficking, and foreign influence in our state.”

While regulators and law enforcement have “done incredible work to hold
back the tide of illegal activity,” Stitt said, the industry is “plagued by
foreign criminal interests and bad actors, making it nearly impossible to
rein in.”

“We can’t put a band-aid on a broken bone,” he said. “Knowing what we know,
it’s time to let Oklahomans bring safety and sanity back to their
neighborhoods. Send the marijuana issue back to the vote of the people and
shut it down.”

When Oklahomans voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2018, we were sold a
bill of goods. Out of state liberal activists preyed on the compassionate
nature of Oklahomans. Then, it opened up Pandora’s box. Now, we have more
dispensaries than we do pharmacies.

— Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) February 2, 2026

While the governor’s rhetoric signals he may be interested in seeing the
medical cannabis industry shuttered altogether, it’s not clear what exactly
he wants voters to decide on and his office has not released specific
language of a proposed ballot measure.

Back in 2022, Stitt similarly used his State of the State address as an
opportunity to dig at the voter-approved medical marijuana law, arguing
that residents were misled by proponents of the ballot initiative.

Meanwhile, in November, Oklahoma activists withdrew an adult-use marijuana
legalization initiative that they’d hoped to place on the state’s 2026
ballot.

After a short but aggressive signature push to secure ballot placement,
Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action (ORCA) ultimately did not turn
in its petitions by the deadline, according to the secretary of state’s
office.

There were challenges unique to this election cycle, as last year the
governor gave final approval to legislation that some advocates worry will
inhibit future citizen-led policy changes, including cannabis reform.

Knowing what we know, it’s time to let Oklahomans bring safety and sanity
back to their neighborhoods.

Send the marijuana issue back to the vote of the people and shut it down.

— Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) February 2, 2026

The law puts additional requirements on initiative “gist” language that
voters see on the ballot and also revise policies around signature
gathering to make it so petitioners could only submit signatures from up to
11.5 percent of registered voters in a single county for statutory
proposals and 20.8 percent for constitutional measures.

Meanwhile, amid the signature gathering process, law enforcement leaders
with the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics
and Dangerous Drugs had been raising concerns about cannabis.


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Also in Oklahoma, lawmakers in March advanced a bill aimed at protecting
gun rights of state-registered medical marijuana patients, although federal
law still bars cannabis users from owning firearms regardless of their
patient status.

Another state bill filed last January by a GOP legislator would criminalize
the use of medical cannabis during pregnancy.

*Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.*

The post Oklahoma Governor Wants Voters To Revisit Medical Marijuana
Legalization Law And ‘Shut It Down’ appeared first on Marijuana Moment.