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Push to bring medical marijuana intensifies in Oklahoma State Rep. Joe Dorman joined the KOCO 5 studio to talk about the benefits of passing medical marijuana laws in Oklahoma and a group’s effort to get it on the ballot. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT >> THIS IS KOCO'S AT 9:00. ABIGAIL: THE PUSH TO BRING MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO OKLAHOMA INTENSIFYING THIS WEEKEND. SUPPORTS OF THE IDEA HAVE BEEN GATHERING SIGNATURES FOR MONTHS. THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE ISSUE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. THAT WORK BROGUGHT THEM TO LAWTON THIS WEEKEND. THEY NEED 65,000 SIGNATURES. SUPPORTERS SAY THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES THIS TIME AROUND. WE ARE JOINED BY REPRESENTATIVE JOE DORMANT. JOE THANK YOU. BRET: WHY ARE YOU SO PASSIONATE? JOE: I DISCUSSED THE ISSUE OF SEIZURES AND HOW THE OILS HELP THEM OUT. WE MANAGED TO GET THAT PASSED. IT IS EFFECTIVE IN SMALL DOSES VERY FEW PEOPLE. THERE ARE DIFFERENT CONDITIONS OUT THERE. THE GOES ON A NOUN. MY NIECE HAS LUPUS. IT WOULD HELP WITH HER PAIN. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO OFFER THIS. ABIGAIL: HOW DO YOU INGEST OR TAKE IT? JOE: IT'S UP TO THE DOCTOR. THIS WILL BE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A DOCTOR. ABIGAIL: WE HAVE THE EURO OF NARCOTICS ON THE SHOW. THEY SAID PEOPLE HAVE TESTIFIED THAT IT'S THE OIL THAT HELPS THEM WITHOUT GETTING STONED. WE WILL HAVE YOUR REACTION. A LOT OF PEOPLE USING THE MEDICAL ARGUMENT IS A WAY TO LEGALIZE SMOKING MARIJUANA UNDER THE GUISE OF MEDICINE. WE ALREADY HAVE TH OIL FOR SICK PEOPLE. ABIGAIL: THEY ARE USING THE MEDICAL ARGUMENT TO GET THIS LEGALIZED. JOE: THAT'S A FLAT-OUT MISREPRESENTATION. THIS WILL HELP PEOPLE UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. THIS DOES NOTHING TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA FOR RECREATIONAL USE. THIS IS ONLY UNDER THE CARE OF A DOCTOR. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING METAL CONDITIONS. IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME ADDICTION AS THE PILLS THAT ARE BEING DESCRIBED. 28 STATES HAVE LEGALIZED THIS. WE HAVE UNTIL NEXT THURSDAY TO GET THIS COMPLETE. BRET: I FEEL THE ATTITUDE ACROSS THE NATION HAS CHANGED. DO YOU THINK BECAUSE YOU SEE A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE WHO DON'T WANT TO USE PAIN PILLS, DOES THAT HELP YOUR CAUSE? JOE: WE HAVE SEEN ATHLETES WHO HAVE -- DIED FROM THE PILLS. THE CONCUSSION ISSUES OF BEEN HIGHLIGHTED. WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT SEE THE EFFECTS OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THESE PAIN PILLS. IT'S BEEN A SCHEDULE ONE DRUG IN THE UNITED STATES. OF OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DONE THE RESEARCH. TWO SURGEONS GENERAL HAVE SIGNED OFF ON THIS. SON JACOB DID A STORY ABOUT THIS. PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO WAKE UP TO WHAT THIS CAN DO TO HELP MEDICAL CONDITIONS. ABIGAI WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO SOMEBODY WHO THINKS THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LEGALIZED. JOE: THAT'S HOW WE WERE RAISED. IT'S HOWEVER PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS RAISE THIS, TO BELIEVE THIS IS A DRUG. IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE IF IT'S TREATED LIKE A MEDICINE IT, IT CAN HELP SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE. IT IS COST-EFFECTIVE. IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE THE RESULTS TO HELP PEOPLE OUT THERE IN GIVEN THE CHANCE. IT WE'VE GOT UNTIL NEXT THURSDAY TO GET THIS OUT TO WE ARE A FEW THOUSAND SIGNATURES SHORT. THEY CAN GO TO OKLAHOMANS FOR HELP.COM. I WILL BE OUT ON SATURDAY COLLECTING SIGNATURES. BRET: YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE PUSH BACK. DO YOU THINK IT'S A PARTISAN ISSUE? SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL HESITANT? JO IT'S NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE. DONALD TRUMP ENDORSED THIS. THE LAST STATE TO LEGALIZE THIS WAS OHIO JOHN KASICH WAS THE GOVERNMENT SIGNED THIS INTO LAW. THE STATE BEFORE THAT WAS LOUISIANA. IT'S NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE. I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE HAVING THE FEAR OF THIS. THEY NEED TO LOOK AT THE SCIENCE AND THE RESULTS. BRET: THERE ARE SO MANY HURDLES TO GO. ABIGAIL: SINCE WE DO HAVE YOU HERE, WHAT ABOUT RECREATIONAL EREWHON A? JOE: I DO NOT SUPPORT T USE OF RECREATIONAL. I AM PROBABLY THE ONLY BOARD MEMBER WHO DOES NOT I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL SEE DOWN THE ROAD. THIS IS NOT A PATHWAY TO LEGALIZATION. THIS IS A WAY TO HELP PEOPLE OUT WHO NEED THAT. ABIGAIL: THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION.