Oklahoma CBD, Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Required To Obtain Food Licenses

Wednesday, February 20th 2019, 6:45 pm

By: Clayton Cummins

The Oklahoma Department of Health is notifying CBD and medical marijuana dispensaries they'll need a food license to be able to sell certain products.

The department is encouraging current businesses manufacturing or selling food products infused with or containing CBD and/or medical marijuana to obtain their food licenses by April 26.

The following are products are considered food under Oklahoma law:

Flavored tinctures or oils placed in the mouth or in other food.

Assorted types of baked goods, candies or chewing gum.

Infused honey

Infused bottled water

Other pre-packaged food products

Jeff Williams owns Greenbud Wellness of Oklahoma. The medical marijuana business, he says, has been quite a headache.

“Too many gray areas, not enough definition of what we can and cannot do,” said Williams. “Kind of the wild, wild west as some people call it.”

Jeff learned this week if he wants to sell baked goods, packaged food, or even oils he'll have to get a food license, costing $850 up front and another $335 annually.

“We already pay close to $3,000 in fees by the time you mix all the different state agencies,” said Williams. “It’s a large burden for a small mom and pop shops. Unfortunately, we may have to pass a dollar or so onto the consumer to make up some of those costs.”

Restaurants and convenience stores in Oklahoma also pay the same fee for a food license. The fee was raised in October 2017, before medical marijuana’s legalization.

“It’s just by nature of any establishment that is selling a food product. We want to make sure that they are using those safe and sanitary food handling practices,” said Buffy Heater, Chief Data, Public Policy & Promotion Officer at Oklahoma State Department of Health. “That is why we are encouraging all members of the business to be able to seek that food license.”

As costs continue to stack up, dispensary owners, like Williams, hope they'll continue with the opportunity to help patients.

“It’s just the enduring stories that you hear, the pain that you (see) on people’s faces, the stories that keeps you going,” said Williams.