Fallin signs Oklahoma’s first medical marijuana rules including controversial amendments pushed by health leaders

Gov. Mary Fallin expects the regulations to be modified.

• Jackie Fortiér
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  Jackie is StateImpact Oklahoma's health care reporter. In a partnership with Kaiser Health News and National Public Radio, Jackie covers health in Oklahoma and the health care industry for local and national audiences. She has many journalism awards to her name during her years of multi-media reporting in Colorado and was part of a team recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists with a Sigma Delta Chi award for excellence in breaking news reporting in 2013. She is a former young professional fellow of the Journalism and Women's Symposium, and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Reporters without Borders, and a lifetime member of Kappa Tau Alpha, awarded for her thesis on disability and technology in news reporting. She holds a bachelor's degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing from Colorado State University and a Master of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Colorado, Boulder. When she's not reporting, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three cats.

Mia Mamone / KGOU

Voters approved the sale, cultivation and transportation of medical marijuana by passing State Question 788 in June, 2018.

On Wednesday, Governor Mary Fallin signed into law emergency medical marijuana rules, including two controversial amendments approved by the state board of health earlier this week.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health started drafting medical marijuana rules in April, but the board of health adopted last-minute changes this week at the urging of health leaders and medical associations, including the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy.

Under the rules Fallin signed to regulate the sale, cultivation and transportation of the drug, which voters approved in June, Oklahoma joins a small number of states that require a pharmacist dispense medical marijuana. The regulations also ban sales of smokable marijuana.

In a statement, Fallin said the rules are a good start — but she expects the regulations to be modified.

The state health department is required to begin accepting applications for medical marijuana licenses later this month. Interim Health Commissioner Tom Bates said he expects the rules will be challenged in court.