New Oklahoma Law Sets $50,000 Bond Fees For Marijuana Growers

Oklahoma has a new law that requires marijuana growers to pay a $50,000 bond. 

“We have shut down over the last two and a half years more than 800 farms,” said Mark Woodward with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.  

That’s why Woodward spends much of his time at the state capitol. Woodward knows laws can help solve Oklahoma’s marijuana problem. 

“Hopefully deter any new criminal elements from coming to our state,” Woodward said. “We have found a lot of very alarming issues when we have gone out to serve search warrants on these marijuana farms."

He said the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics has open investigations into half of Oklahoma's licensed growers, and that costs taxpayer money. 

“It’s several thousand dollars,” Woodward said. 

The environment also pays the price because illegal growers fail to follow Oklahoma’s environmental laws. Oklahoma Environmental Quality said it finds everything from toxic chemicals to raw sewage at illegal operations.   

“We’ve even found some dead animals as a result of runoff at some of these criminal growing operations,” Woodward said. 

An illegal marijuana operation in Logan County went up in flames on Thursday.   

“We don’t have anything on file for these facilities,” said Darryl Beebe, an agent at the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal. 

This fire severely burned two people. Investigators had nothing on file to tell them the business was safe. Senate Bill 913, authored by Rep. Darcy Jech (R-Kingfisher), was signed into law last week.  

“You will have to be bonded to cover any environmental damage,” Woodward said. 

Growers will pay $50,000, like a security deposit to help restore the land if their farm is shut down.  

“Take it out of the hands of these criminals and give it back to the good state of Oklahoma,” Woodward said. 

Some growers may have to pay a higher bond depending on requirements set by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority.