What's The Next Step For Medical Marijuana In Oklahoma?

After Tuesday’s vote to approve medical marijuana the question for many becomes "What's next?"

Voters approved the measure 57 to 43 percent but people can't just show up now at a clinic expecting to get the medication. Governor Mary Fallin has already spoken about calling a special session and lawmakers could still put more regulations in place.

Overall, Oklahoma still has quite a few hoops to jump through before people can start to go to clinics to get a recommendation for Medical Marijuana.

But many are just hoping that the legislature won't put any more regulations on 788 and will let the people have what they already voted for.

Like Representative Eric Proctor who says his grandfather struggled with Parkinson's Disease and believes people shouldn't have to travel to get help.

“Families shouldn't have to move out of state to be able to provide hope and mercy to their loved ones,” said Proctor. “57% of the state which is a landslide, said we don’t want families to have to go out of state to get the medicine they need.”

But even though State Question 788 passed, it still could still face scrutiny from lawmakers...

"For the legislature to turn their back on what a landslide of the people have said we need to do I think would be a huge mistake," said Proctor

Governor Mary Fallin has already discussed calling a special session to discuss 788. In a statement, she said it was loosely written and wants to discuss options to make sure it is truly used for medical reasons.

“If governor Fallin looks at the numbers she will see that medical marijuana got more votes than she got in her last election so she needs to look at that and tread very lightly if she’s going to change what the people have already told her they want,” said Proctor.

In Montana, medical marijuana was legalized in 2004 but became out of reach for patients after their state legislature issued limitations, in Arkansas, they also faced pushback.

“There were legislators who wanted to significantly change the law but the majority of the legislators really felt like it was their job to implement the will of the voters,” said Little Rock attorney Ericka Gee.

 For now, Oklahoma's law doesn't have any qualifying conditions for their medical programs like most states and many hope more regulations won't be added.

"Oklahoma's is very progressive in that way because it leaves it up to the professional judgment of the physician," said Gee.

Tulsa's Higher Care Clinic is open for appointments to help educate potential patients.

06/27/2018 Related Story: First Medical Marijuana Clinic Opens In Tulsa