OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Marijuana is Oklahoma’s ballooning cash crop, and its industry’s growth in the state may surprise you.
Over the last year up until the end of November, medical marijuana brought in around $138 million in revenue. Another thing is it’s easy for people to start grows and businesses in the industry compared to other states. There are 45,000 employees in the industry statewide, and with cheaper licenses and land, it’s brought in thousands of grow operations.
“It appears that the industry in Oklahoma is booming,” said Kelsey Pagonis with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority.
The number backing that claim would be the revenue. Pagonis also said the free-market system is fueled by just under 9,000 grow operations and around 2,500 dispensaries across the Sooner State.
“It was put in place as a free market system,” Pagonis said. “So, the rules and regulations that have been built upon that are in place to foster this and [the] free market system.”
It runs about $2,500 to get a grower’s license in Oklahoma and you have to renew it every year. According to the New York Times, that’s compared to about $100,000 in neighboring Arkansas and upwards of $50 million in Connecticut, which has a similar population size to Oklahoma.
KFOR was told it appears there has been a steady increase in commercial licensing at times, but near…
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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Marijuana is Oklahoma’s ballooning cash crop, and its industry’s growth in the state may surprise you.
Over the last year up until the end of November, medical marijuana brought in around $138 million in revenue. Another thing is it’s easy for people to start grows and businesses in the industry compared to other states. There are 45,000 employees in the industry statewide, and with cheaper licenses and land, it’s brought in thousands of grow operations.
“It appears that the industry in Oklahoma is booming,” said Kelsey Pagonis with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority.
The number backing that claim would be the revenue. Pagonis also said the free-market system is fueled by just under 9,000 grow operations and around 2,500 dispensaries across the Sooner State.
“It was put in place as a free market system,” Pagonis said. “So, the rules and regulations that have been built upon that are in place to foster this and [the] free market system.”
It runs about $2,500 to get a grower’s license in Oklahoma and you have to renew it every year. According to the New York Times, that’s compared to about $100,000 in neighboring Arkansas and upwards of $50 million in Connecticut, which has a similar population size to Oklahoma.
KFOR was told it appears there has been a steady increase in commercial licensing at times, but near…
