Oklahoma Produces 32 Times More Marijuana Than Necessary And It's Going Into Wrong Hands

Oklahoma is having a marijuana oversupply problem, and it is huge.

What Happened: Cannabis producers in the Sooner State have produced way more cannabis than the regulated market demands.

According to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, the state has no less than 32 times more cannabis than it is necessary to meet the demand.

The study, published Wednesday, was conducted by Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, which used the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system to survey more than 1,300 medical marijuana consumers.

See Also: Oklahoma Attorney General And Lawyer Clash Over Medical Marijuana Enforcement

"The supply-to-demand ratio of regulated medical marijuana supply to regulated medical cannabis demand is 64:1," the report reads. "Using a general assumption that units of supply should not exceed two times the units of demand, the medical marijuana program has no less than 32 times more regulated marijuana necessary than licensed patient demand."

“They said they've never seen any state like this,” Adria Berry, the authority's executive director, told The Oklahoman.

Per the report, the lack of production management tools in the law has aided in the development and growth of the massive oversupply issue.

Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program started with no restrictions on the number of cannabis producers, sellers or users, while just 10% of state residents are registered medical marijuana patients.

Why It Matters: Authority officials also said that the immense oversupply issue is probably directing large amounts of cannabis out of state and contributing to the illegal market.

“It is essential that we address this oversupply head-on, not only to ensure the integrity and sustainability of our medical marijuana market for our patients but to promote public safety and mitigate dangers that coincide with illicit marijuana activity for all Oklahomans," Berry stated. 

The report also revealed that around 43% of marijuana consumed in the state is sourced from illegal markets.

What’s Next: “Through strategic partnerships, rigorous oversight, streamlined compliance monitoring, advancements of smart policies, and stakeholder engagement, we can foster an environment that promotes safety and prevents large-scale diversion,” stated Berry. “At OMMA, we understand the importance of transparency and will be providing updates on our progress.”

Now Read: GOP Governor In This Southern State Vetoes Bill Restricting Medical Marijuana Program

Photo: Courtesy of Alex Woods on Unsplash