Coronavirus and Cannabis: Oklahoma Regulatory Updates

By Brett Williams and Dwight Clark

Mar 30, 2020

This VS Insight is dedicated to updates regarding the coronavirus and cannabis in Oklahoma. For updates on other states or coronavirus-related issues, see our main post on the subject, "Coronavirus and Cannabis: Monitoring the Impact."

Cannabis regulations are in flux across the U.S. as officials at every level of government work to contain the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Vicente Sederberg is closely monitoring the situation, and we are communicating with regulators to understand how these local, state and federal responses may affect cannabis business operators, medical patients, and other cannabis consumers. We are committed to doing everything we can to keep our clients and the public updated as we learn of new developments, but please note this is an extremely fluid situation and there is a lot we do not know. This VS Insights post is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal or tax advice. We strongly encourage you to contact an attorney if you are seeking advice regarding any specific legal or tax issue.

Latest Updates

March 30, 2020

According to a tweet from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) patient license renewals will not begin until July 2020 and will be processed no earlier than thirty days prior to the expiration date on the applicable patient license card.

March 26, 2020

OMMA clarified via Twitter, that dispensaries are permitted to offer curbside pick-up of orders. Dispensaries should be careful to follow all applicable rules, including proper identification verification.
- Deliveries are not permitted to patients or caregivers.

March 25, 2020

In Governor Stitt’s Amended Executive Memorandum 2020-01, medical marijuana dispensaries and all licensed medical marijuana companies that are in the supply chain for any medical marijuana dispensary are considered essential businesses.

March 24, 2020

According to an Oklahoma Department of Commerce FAQ, medical marijuana dispensaries are classified as essential businesses.
- The Department of Commerce encourages the maintenance of social distancing to the extent possible in all cases.
- Except for medical marijuana businesses, the FAQ does not address any other marijuana businesses.
OMMA tweeted that all medical marijuana business are considered essential services and will not be required to close at this time.