Medical Marijuana Industry Continues To Grow Since Legalized In Oklahoma 3 Years Ago

Voters in Oklahoma voted to legalize medical marijuana three years ago this week. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have applied for medical cards, and dispensaries are popping up everywhere.

Nearly one in ten Oklahomans have their medical card, three years after it was legalized here in the state, and one dispensary said their client base has been growing ever since.

It's been three years this week since State Question 788 was approved by nearly 57% of Oklahoma voters. 

Applications for medical marijuana licenses weren't accepted until late August, but since its approval, dispensaries have been popping up all over the state. 

"I've got a lot of loyal customers, about 150 to 200 customers a day come here,” said Green Cross Meds Owner Matthew Boyd. 

Boyd said since they opened their shop in August of 2019, they've seen new customers walking in the door each month. 

Boyd said before he opened, he visited some dispensaries in California and decided to add armed security and bullet proof glass as a safety precaution.  

“Customers walk in right here and they have to present their medical card and their I-D, even if they're a repeat customer,” said Boyd. 

Oklahoma now has 369,247 adult patients licensed by the state, and 11,636 business licenses are active in Oklahoma.             

 710 of those licenses are in Tulsa County, just over 1,400 are in Oklahoma County, and every county in the state has at least one. 

“A lot of us never thought it would be this way and we're very thankful,” said Boyd. 

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority said in the past three years, more than $247 million has been generated between state and local sales tax and the special tax applied to medical marijuana through State Question 788. 

With thousands of dispensaries out there, Boyd said it's important to stand out.

“If you have good product, good customer service, your prices are competitive, you know what I am saying, and you take care of your customers, you know the sky is the limit,” said Boyd. 

Boyd said unlike other businesses, their sales went up in 2020 during the pandemic and he believes that's because more people were staying home.