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Dispensary Seized For Selling Meth

7/25/2019

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  A little dispensary in the small town of Spiro, OK (10 miles from Ft. Smith,AR) was busted this week after the owner was caught selling methamphetamines twice to an undercover agent.  the news is angering thousands of patients who worry that the politics of the incident will become harmful to their health, if the incident leads to federal action or state regulations getting even more difficult for them to continue treatment of their frail health.
  This is the worst case scenario for those who fear a federal crack down. The fact that the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs handled the matter, & not a federal raid by FBI or DEA agents; is actually a god-send to patients and the law-abiding businesses producing, processing, and retailing the medicines. 
  The OBNDD completely confiscated the entire dispensary inventory and hauled it off.  It will likely be considered and asset forfeiture because it's part of a drug crime. The OBNDD could reassign or sell it to another licensed dispensary, but the arrested dispensary owner may also fight to have it used as collateral for his bond & attorney fees in his criminal trial. This could lead to landmark rulings for the industry.

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 Had the feds made the bust and done the prosecution in federal courts,  the asset forfeiture of the entire dispensary inventory would have been certain, but it would pave the way for a broad scale action against all Oklahoma dispensaries, because consistent enforcement of the law is a constitutional requirement, and the feds may see Oklahoma as a state with less 'push-back' against federal action than a west coast state where full state legalization has been politically popular.
  Yes, there is a valid libertarian argument for a person's right to determine his own medical treatment and even casual off-label use of drugs. But the political reality is that cultural change comes in increments. the process is slow and often influenced by the optics. This police action is horrible optics for a new medical industry which has otherwise demonstrated great self governance during it's initial rollout. There has not been a standardized & mandated testing law in place since medicines started wide scale retail distribution in January.
  With about 170,000 patients already in the licensure system, not much could kill an essential reform like this. But dispensaries selling dangerous and addictive drugs like meth... yeah, that's maybee the worst thing we could have seen happen.  
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  We don't blame the OBNDD for doing their statutory duty. In fact, patients should be thankful that someone is looking out for consumers and keeping the dispensaries accountable.
  It further drives home the warning to dispensary owners to be very very careful whom your business associates are. If one clerk had been doing this without his boss knowing; that clerk could cost the dispensary owners their entire operation, even if they had no idea what was happening.
 It also warns dispensaries not to deal with shady suppliers who may be trucking in illegal cannabis from another state. that too, would result in this same outcome.
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Medical Marijuana Sales Grew Another 33% on June

7/9/2019

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  The Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) reports that tax collections for medical marijuana retail transactions have sharply risen again, in June. This makes the 5th consecutive month of increase of at least 33% of the month prior. These sales are subject to a 7% special tax which the OTC deemed an 'excise tax'. The OTC is also demanding that each retail sale also pay all common local and state sales tax.
  The legislature avoided correcting the loophole and double taxation during the spring session, leaving patients to struggle with about a 16% tax on all purchased cannabis medicines. This confiscatory tax rate is helping keep the illegal "black market" cartels in  business throughout Oklahoma. Many patients still patronize the black market dealers because the price is competitive.
  Total reported sales are now over 30 million per month and garnering about $5 million in taxes. Liquor taxes currently bring in about $10 million per month, and tobacco taxes are dropping well below $10 million per month. Not that tobacco consumption is flat, but many Indian tribes are selling cigarettes without the hefty state tobacco taxes.
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These charts show spending trends and associated tax revenue.

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Some SoonerCare Physicians Begin Medical Marijuana Recommendations

7/5/2019

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  The disabled, sickly, & poor are now finding new access to the naturopathic medicine options, including cannabis.  Currently, more than two dozen MDs & DOs are accepting SoonerCare Patients and working with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority(OMMA). This means that clinic visits may become as low as $3 and the Patient license may be just $20. 
  This doesn't provide marijuana itself, but it does authorize the patients to grow their own therapeutic treatments rather than get govt. subsidized drugs which the taxpayers fund.  This is especially important to pain management patients whose bodies are in constant pain and who have depended on opiates for partial relief. By switching to cannabis meds, these suffering Oklahomans are reporting greater relief and restored mobility. Many are returning to some productivity and social interaction.
  We cross-referenced the latest list of SoonerCare providers with the OMMA list of participating physicians. we found 26 unique names of physicians, which we show in the map and spreadsheet below.
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150,000 licenses For Medical Marijuana In First 10 Months

7/2/2019

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  Oklahoma's medical marijuana options are growing faster than projections.
  The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) has released their July 1st report of licensure activity. It shows a brisk & continued utilization of cannabis medicine by the patients of Oklahoma.
  At this time last year, the Oklahoma Health Dept. (parent agency of the OMMA)projected close to 78,000 patient licenses by this coming Labor Day weekend.  That projection is wildly inaccurate and the state is on course to more than double those numbers.
  The business climate also continues to improve each week as the ratio of patients to dispensaries maintains a persistent increase to more than 90 patients for every dispensary license.
 Sales & Excise taxes are beginning to reach revenues comparable to tobacco & liquor.
  And all this time, none of the horror stories that were told by the 'Vote No' crowd are becoming reality. Cannabis medicines are proving to be safer (even off-label & casual) than liquor & tobacco.
Below you'll see a full set of spreadsheets detailing the economic indicators for cannabis meds in Oklahoma.
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    Nigel O'Mally

    Nigel manages the medical research and drug policy topics at SoonerPolitics.  He comes to Oklahoma with an international perspective and a background in homeopathic herbs and agrarian culture.

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