Oklahoma Board Of Health Sets Special Meeting Date

The Oklahoma State Board of Health - under fire for changes to medical marijuana rules - announced its plans to hold a special meeting at 3 p.m. Wednesday, August 1.

At the advice of Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter, the health department is now working to revise its rules.

"I'm optimistic that the board is going to deal with this in a responsible way, and move from where they are which is setting policy, which is not within their delegated authority. Enact rules that simply implement state question 788, and any kind of policy questions that emerge need to go to the state legislature from here," said Hunter.

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Lawsuits have been filed against the state health department after it released rules many say went against state question 788. The board voted that smokable marijuana could not be sold and that pharmacists would be required at dispensaries. 

Those two rules — added at the last minute, without any public comment — prompted protests and the filing of two lawsuits; lawmakers expressed outrage and disbelief, and the attorney general reviewed the rules and concluded the Board had overstepped its authority and imposed rules that ran contrary to the will of the people who approved State Question 788.

A recent poll by SoonerPoll.com shows voters are split over the questions of whether smokable marijuana should be sold and whether pharmacists should be required at dispensaries.

7/24/2018 Related Story: News On 6 Poll Shows Voters Divided On Medical Marijuana Rules