Oklahoma has more marijuana than it needs to meet medical demand, study finds

Oklahoma has 32 times more regulated medical cannabis than necessary to meet the demand of licensed patients, according to a survey by Cannabis Public Policy Consulting.

The details, found by a study of supply and demand within the state’s medical marijuana industry, was released recently by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority.

“First and foremost, OMMA is steadfast in our commitment to serving the needs of Oklahoma medical marijuana patients,” said OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry. “It is essential that we address this oversupply head-on, not only to ensure the integrity and sustainability of our medical marijuana market for our patients but to promote public safety and mitigate dangers that coincide with illicit marijuana activity for all Oklahomans.”

The study found the supply-and-demand ratio in Oklahoma is 64 grams of regulated medical cannabis supplied for every 1 gram of demand for a licensed patient. The study states a ratio of 2 grams of supply for every 1 gram of demand indicates a healthy market, putting Oklahoma’s functional supply-and-demand ratio at 32:1.

Other key findings in the study:

• The exponential oversupply of regulated cannabis suggests licensed medical cannabis businesses are most likely contributing to an illicit market, at the point of cultivation and retail sales.

• The volume of oversupply and low barriers to market entry suggest the illicit market may be “hiding in plain sight.”

• About 43 percent of cannabis consumed by Oklahomans comes from illicit sources.

“Through strategic partnerships, rigorous oversight, streamlined compliance monitoring, advancements of smart policies and stakeholder engagement, we can foster an environment that promotes safety and prevents large-scale diversion,” said Berry.

The study is available at: https://oklahoma.gov/omma/about/supply-and-demand-study.html