Cannabis Advocates Rally At State Capitol

Sunday, July 22nd 2018, 10:39 pm

By: Caleigh Bourgeois

Demonstrators took to the Capitol Sunday to protest the State Department of Health’s regulations over medical marijuana.

“We're mad as hell. We're not going to take it anymore,” Ron Welchel said, referencing the theme of the rally.

Welchel was one of dozens of State Question 788 supporters who showed up for the demonstration.

“All the people in the state were really for it. Then we got the wind let out of our sails when it all kind of went south. We need it fixed,” Welchel said.

The Department of Health’s rules attached to medical marijuana include smoking prohibitions and requiring a pharmacist in dispensaries.

Those are just two of the reasons John Frasure and his group, Green the Vote set up Sunday’s rally.

“Rallies are really going on all over the state. We've got, a sister rally going on in Tulsa at the exact same time,” Frasure said.

Frausre says while he’s upset, outrage over the new rules have helped him convince more Oklahomans to sign the petition for recreational marijuana.

State Question 797 is now at 118,023 signatures, according to Green the Vote.

“I appreciate everything the health board did for us. I just want them to keep on talking because they have got people coming out in droves for us,” Frasure said.

The petition would have to gain the required signatures by the beginning of August for a chance of making it on the ballot.

In the meantime, the cannabis advocates say they’re focused on bringing SQ 797 back to its roots.