Oklahoma awards first medical marijuana patient licenses
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — More than 1,600 people and businesses applied for Oklahoma medical marijuana licenses on the first day that applications were made available.
The online application system went live at 10 a.m. Saturday at www.OMMA.ok.gov for all potential medical marijuana patients, growers, dispensaries, processors and caregivers. Oklahoma State Department of Health spokesman Tony Sellars said that by Saturday evening, the agency had received 1,054 patient, 634 business and three caregiver applications.
Officials awarded 23 licenses to patients Saturday to test the approval process and will resume approving applications Monday, Sellars said.
Sellars added that the state collected $1.5 million in application fees on Saturday.
He said the application process has been running smoothly except for a minor glitch Saturday morning for some Yahoo and iCloud email users. Some applicants using those email services may not be receiving a courtesy confirmation email, though Sellars said the company that provided the application system was working to resolve the issue. By afternoon, Sellars said, the complaints had stopped, though he had not received official word that the problem was solved.
The applications must be made online and cannot be submitted at state or county health offices. Residents needing computer access are encouraged to visit a public library or ask a friend or relative for access.
In June, voters approved a statewide ballot measure authorizing the use of medicinal cannabis in Oklahoma.
