The Oklahoma Senate passed Senate Bill 640 this week. The legislation increases the required setbacks for medical marijuana businesses from schools and places of worship. Currently, that distance is 1,000 feet. SB 640 would extend it to 3,000 feet.
Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton says that his bill reduces the exposure of children to marijuana-related marketing and imagery.
“Our priority must always be the health and well-being of Oklahoma’s children,” Pro Tem Paxton said. “Too often, dispensaries use bright signs, gimmicky branding and other marketing ploys designed to grab attention. The last thing we need is for our kids to walk past these storefronts on their way to school or while at church, normalizing the presence of marijuana at a young age. Oklahoma voters approved medical marijuana, but they did not approve exposing children to its marketing. This is a commonsense step to align our policies with the intent of voters—keeping access for patients while minimizing exposure for minors.”
Current medical marijuana businesses are exempt from the longer setback rule if SB 640 becomes law.
The measure now heads to the Oklahoma House.
