Marijuana top crop in Oklahoma, concerns on the rise
LONGDALE, OK — Over the last six to eight months, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) said Oklahoma has seen a huge influx of marijuana growers coming to the state, including both legal and criminal organizations.
Mark Woodward is the OBN public information officer and said he credits that to cheaper land prices, licensing and loose regulations in the state.
"They're trying to take advantage of this perfect storm where Oklahoma has cheaper land prices and some of the cheapest licensing in the country. We also have some loose regulations and so, some states like California and along the west coast where they've been paying tremendous amounts for land, the states have still been closed because of COVID and a number of other issues, both illegal and criminal organizations are saying pull up your stakes and get to Oklahoma and do it as quickly as you can," Woodward said.
Currently, Oklahoma has no laws to cap the total of growers there can be in the state.
"At places like Arkansas, when they wrote their law and the legislature did, they said that, based on our population what we believe will meet the populations needs and demand that they approved eight grow licenses and 40 dispensary licenses, and they can't get anymore," Woodward said. "So If somebody wants to apply, they will look at the area and say no that area is saturated, there's limits in place and we believe the need is there and we don't need to expand that need any more. Oklahoma doesn't have that."
According to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA), as of July, there are 8,247 grow licenses and counting.
"We're (the state) getting anywhere from 30 to 130 a week we're processing of brand-new ones," Woodward said.
The OMMA said there was a bill to limit the number of licenses but it did not get a vote in the legislation this year.
In addition, the OMMA reports Oklahoma has 2,274 dispensaries and 388,240 active patient licenses.
We just feel like we've been railroaded out here in the country. We have no say in it," Davis Webb said, a local rancher and landowner in Longdale, OK.
Webb tells FOX 25 a marijuana farm went up near their home in April and greenhouses on the 40-acre property just keep popping up.
"We tried to purchase this from the land owner. They just came in and there were no questions asked. $93,000 is what they gave for this Which kills our property values," Webb said.
According to the OBN, the marijuana farm has all the proper licensing required by the OMMA and OBN.
Webb said he's concerned about his family's safety and security after catching some of the workers trespassing on his properties.
"We're worried about people coming into our driveway in the middle of night, Webb said. "They just don't know the rules. They're coming in and doing what they want, when they want, how they want, and it's filth. It's a disgrace to the county is what it is."
Webb said he wants to see more regulations and better enforcement.
"They've had a truck come in. We see multiple trucks come in U hauls and we don't know what they're carrying," Webb said.
He also questions what the state is gaining for infinite farms.
"I think we've overstretched our current amount of marijuana farms in the state," Webb said. "We've got to be producing way more than what we're consuming in the state."
FOX 25 talked to some of the workers at the legal farm in Longdale to learn more about their operation.
Reporter: How long have you guys been here now?
Worker: Four months.
Reporter: Who do you sell to?
Worker: Gotta ask my boss.
Reporter: Who is your boss?
Worker: He’s not here right now.
Reporter: Does he live here?
Worker: He’s not here. We just work here.
Reporter: Is there any way I can contact him?
Worker: I’m not sure where he is right now but I can’t give you his phone number.
Reporter: How many plants do you have back there, do you know?
Worker: I can’t tell you that.
Reporter: You sell to dispensaries?
Worker: Yeah.
Reporter: Is this a busy area in Oklahoma to sell?
Worker: Nah. This area is not very good.
Reporter: If this area isn’t very good to sell, where do you take it in Oklahoma to sell?
Worker: I don’t know, that’s my boss job.
Reporter: Do you know when they’ll (the boss) will be back?
Worker: Several days I guess.
Reporter: What do you think about the ones (marijuana farms) illegally popping up?
Worker: Illegal? I read news a couple days ago there is a new task force that’s against illegal marijuana. That’s good news. Good news to me.
FOX 25 contacted a representative for the farm, who told us no comment.
While tensions rise among Webb and his neighbors, there are more nefarious farms moving in across the state.
Woodward said the problem with those farms are they aren't licensed or legal.
"They're cutting corners. They're not following the rules. We're talking about egregious violations," Woodward said.
Woodward said more illegal marijuana farms are popping up across the state and are choosing to skip the legal dispensaries to instead sell their product on the black market.
"They will fly under the radar looking like the poster child for the marijuana's program in Oklahoma but 100% of their product is going in the middle of the night to the east coast for these criminal organizations and 100% of the money is moved all over the world," Woodward said.
Woodward said the OBN is stretched thin and complaints from residents continue to pour in.
"That's the bottom line they're fed up and they're scared," Woodward said.
"I think we've overstretched our current amount of marijuana farms in the state," Webb said. "We've got to be producing way more than what we're consuming in the state."
FOX 25 asked the OMMA for statistics on how much marijuana the average consumer uses. The OMMA said they do no have information on patient purchases.
As far as revenue, the OMMA receives a 7% excise tax which is divvied up into several areas.
"OMMA receives 7% excise tax which first pays our budget first and then was originally assigned to 75% education and 25% to drug and alcohol abuse programs. The legislature changed that slightly last session giving $44 million to a school building fund and $12 million to the department of mental health," Terri Watkins said, an OMMA spokesperson.
Coming up on Thursday at 9, FOX 25 will take a closer look at illegal marijuana farms and the problems they are creating for locals and authorities.
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