Steven Dixon Advertising Director

Oklahoma Sen. Constance Johnson had sponsored Senate Bill 710 and Senate Bill 914 back in 2013, which would have allowed medical marijuana and reduced possession penalties, thus helping potentially thousands of Oklahoma citizens. Needless to say, it failed. As of February 2014 not only did Sen. Johnson sponsor, but she also authored Senate Bill 2116 – legalizing recreational use of marijuana. Once again, it failed; it hasn’t even made it out of the committee. Gov. Mary Fallin has said in the past that she would never allow marijuana to be legalized in her state, not even medical. Some of her policies and those of other lawmakers in our state have led Oklahoma to rank third in the nation of strict penalties for marijuana possession, according to http://www.mpp.org/states/oklahoma/. Senate Bill 2116 would not only legalize marijuana and lead to some of the same benefits that are being reaped by the state of Colorado, but it would also dedicate 30 percent of excise tax funds to the Department of Education. If you didn’t know, in the year of 2013 Oklahoma earned the ranking of No. 1 for cutting more dollars from education since our nation’s recession according to Oklahoma City Channel 9 News. Also as of 2013, the American Legislative Exchange Council has ranked Oklahoma 43rd in the nation in state education rankings. I would think that Fallin would take any help she could get for our state, not only economically (where we sit in the middle at 24th), but also educationally. With over 70 percent of voters wanting medical marijuana, and over 60 percent preferring a ticket or small fine instead of jail time for possession, according to the Oklahoma National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws poll taken in September 2013, it’s obvious that our legislators aren’t listening to the citizens who vote them in, nor even their own colleagues who try to bring change in a positive way. So why is Fallin staked against the toke? According to a TulsaWorld investigation, Fallin has enjoyed private prison support (who rely on those inmates who get busted for possession), which includes over $33,000 in gifts and campaign contributions. With 20 states that having legalized medical marijuana and our own President Barack Obama speaking of marijuana as less of a problem than alcohol — not to mention prescription drug deaths on the rise (with no deaths associated from marijuana ever recorded) — Fallin needs to step back from her personal views of marijuana, do some more research on it and possibly consider calling Gov. Hickenlooper. A lot of money can be made and saved with the legalization of marijuana in the state of Oklahoma, which can be used widely across the state including in education. Our legislators need to quit looking at the business of keeping this herb illegal just to collect a few thousand dollars in gifts and contributions and look at the business of saving families, compassion for those in medical need and raising much needed funds for education.