Catoosa To Vote On Reducing Distance Between Marijuana Dispensaries

The Catoosa city council will vote next week whether to reduce the distance allowed between medical marijuana dispensaries. Currently, city law says they have to be 1,000 feet apart, but the city council could change that to 500 feet.

Not everyone is pleased with the proposed change.

Medical marijuana sales topped $18 million last month in Oklahoma, the seventh straight month of growth. In terms of supply and demand, those who are prepared to sell want to provide the product.

One owner I spoke with here says she's found a barrier to that.

CBD Plus USA opened a store in Catoosa last summer and hoped to expand after medical marijuana became legal in the state.

"We have been approved for all of our Oklahoma medical marijuana licenses," said Robin Stanley, CBD Plus USA Tulsa-area general manager.

But Stanley says when she tried to apply with the city of Catoosa, she was barred.

"Completely denied me submitting an application," she said.

That's when she discovered a city law that says stores selling medical marijuana have to be 1,000 feet apart,- an ordinance that was finalized in February.

Another shop down the street had already applied with the city.

"Somebody beat her to the punch, and that's where we're at on this location," said Terry Whiteley, Catoosa City Planner.

Catoosa City Planner Terry Whiteley says their law is modeled off Tulsa's and still adapting to the new industry.

"That's the challenge. We don't restrict anyone else's location between restaurants or anything else, but we've chosen this based on what other cities have done," Whiteley said.

It lands both the city and CBD Plus USA waiting to see how the council will vote Monday.

"We are just at a complete standstill right now until the city can come up with a plan," said Robin Stanley of CBD Plus USA.

CBD Plus says they don't want to do so, but they're prepared to bring lawyers into the mix if Monday's vote doesn't turn out in their favor.