OKLAHOMA CITY — Some Republican lawmakers are taking steps to ban billboards that advertise medical marijuana, further limit where dispensaries can be located and make Oklahoma’s medical pot program more transparent.
Those lawmakers filed bills ahead of the Feb. 3 start of the legislative session, The Oklahoman reported, even though the legislators who passed last year’s “Unity Bill” that established a legal framework for State Question 788, indicated they don’t want sweeping changes to the medical marijuana program this year.
State Sen. Mark Allen introduced a measure that would ban medical marijuana from being promoted on billboards. Allen did not return the newspaper’s call seeking comment.
Chip Paul, who wrote Oklahoma’s medical marijuana petition, said billboard marketing has been discussed often among those in the medical marijuana industry.
“We all agree that there’s a line there, but what is the appropriate line is debatable,” he said.
Rep. Jim Olsen recommended legislation that would bar medical marijuana dispensaries from being situated within 1,000 feet of churches or other places of worship. It would not apply to established businesses.
Olson said his proposal stemmed from a local pastor raising concerns about how the dispensaries could potentially influence children.
“We don’t really want children to think that marijuana is the answer to their problems,” Olsen said. “Now, that’s not to dispute what many people, older people say that it has helped their pain. I wouldn’t dispute that for a minute.”