Got a light?

In the last couple years, I have become fascinated with the growing number of businesses in Lawton that cater to the growth, cultivation, processing, packaging, sales, and promotion of marijuana and its various derivatives.

Since 2009, the City of Lawton has a record of 749 businesses issued permits or licenses associated with marijuana. No, not really. However, I sure raised a lot of eyebrows, I’ll bet.

The other thing that struck me was the variety of business names that abound up and down our main business arteries. Hype is everything in business and a “catchy” name will stand out from those that simply declare “Pot Sold Here.” Talk about variations on a theme.

I decided to stick with main east-to-west thoroughfares, or this column would run over my word limit. I chose Cache Road, Gore Boulevard and Lee Boulevard. Only 20 businesses came up on a Google search. I won’t differentiate between growers, cultivators, processors, packagers, or sales only. I also will not identify businesses that only sell “assorted smoking accessories.” Law enforcement call these items “paraphernalia.”

I must also point out, I did stop in to visit/enter just two of these fine business establishments on each main drag. I was only interested in their intriguing business names. I wanted to find out the owner’s rationale behind the name brand.

Starting with Cache Road, you will find Toot ‘N Tote, Cannabliss Cannabis, and Medical Farm-A-Seed. The Farm-A-Seed manager explained the name was created to stand out from straight forward brand names.

On Gore Boulevard, you will discover The Purple Dragon, Big Chief Collective, and Altrd Vizion Cannabis Company. The owner of The Purple Dragon based the name off a tattoo flash she observed while getting new ink. The Chinese dragon and the fact it was a purple dragon seemed perfect.

Up and down Lee Boulevard, you can shop at Green Aid Society, Twisted Leaf Dispensary, and Hootie’s Enchanted Garden. Hootie’s business name developed over time and several variations of the owner’s last name.

The taxes from medical marijuana sales have been poured back into our community to help pay for certain long overdue renovations/updates to our infrastructure. City officials created the fund in 2019 and have been letting those revenues accumulate ($460,000 is expected this year). There had been $1.33 million there, before the city spent $852,977.90 and encumbered another $199,510 on the projects the tax has been designed to support. The medical marijuana money was combined with other funds under a citywide sidewalk campaign. The result is new sidewalks in well-traveled areas.

Decades ago, local citizens were aghast at how many bars and pawn shops were scattered throughout the city. Today, that number has been drastically reduced. Remember when Oklahoma finally legalized tattoo shops in 2006? Shortly after, we had a “tattoo parlor” on every other street corner. Dozens of these businesses are no longer open. (250+ were once licensed in Comanche County.)

As of this writing, of the 900+ businesses originally issued permits or licenses, over 800 are still in business in Lawton. They have, collectively, generated over $6mil in local taxes. No, not really. However, I’m sure I raised a lot of eyebrows, yet again.

As for myself, the Pentagon and the VA don’t recognize marijuana as a legal/authorized method for pain management/stress relief/coping with PTSD, etc. So, I don’t indulge. If the laws and regulations ever change, because of my personal issues laundry basket, I might be tempted to try some gummies. Maybe. …

George Keck is an Army retiree, a drummer, and Lawton resident, off and on, since 1964.