Recreational Marijuana in Oklahoma: What Makes State Question 837 Different From Past Efforts?

A new effort to legalize recreational marijuana is underway in Oklahoma, just two years after voters rejected a similar measure at the ballot box.

Volunteers with Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action (ORCA) have hit the streets collecting signatures for a potential 2026 ballot measure. But the initiative is drawing sharp opposition from law enforcement officials, including Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler.

We spoke with both sides of the debate. Here’s what they had to say:

Q: What is State Question 837, and how is it different from past efforts?

Jed Green, Director of ORCA: “What Oklahomans need to know is the difference is that 837 is by Oklahomans, for Oklahoma. We're the folks that helped pass State Question 788.”

Green says this proposal would legalize cannabis for anyone 21 and older — no medical card required — and that it’s rooted in local advocacy.

“It's a very, very different feel from what we saw during a special election three years ago," he said.

Q: What are opponents saying about this latest push?

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler believes this is just another attempt to commercialize marijuana under the guise of personal freedom.

“This is a corporate model, and they're trying to make money off of this. The folks in the tobacco industry have basically now occupied the marijuana industry,” he said.

He’s also deeply concerned about overproduction and the potential for black-market growth.

“Oklahoma is well outproducing its population... We know there's a big black market out there,” he said.

Q: What about health risks? Are there concerns about high-potency cannabis?

Kunzweiler: “They who have never tried this drug before think, ‘Well, I guess it must be okay because I'm seeing it everywhere,’ and they have literally ingested and gone into psychosis.”

He points to studies linking cannabis to mental health issues, especially in younger users and people with preexisting conditions, and argues the drug should undergo the same FDA oversight as Tylenol or Advil.

Q: Have public attitudes toward marijuana changed?

Lisa Franklin, cannabis advocate and ORCA volunteer, has been involved in cannabis reform since 2014 and says times are very different now.

“Back in those days, we only had the corners and the pavements to stand on… But this time, we have retail sales places that are way more open to cannabis, not just dispensaries, but flower shops and glass shops,” she said.

Q: What about economic impacts, especially from out-of-state visitors?

Franklin: “We turn away thousands of dollars in sales to potential people that might need the benefits of their medicine while they're here in the state.”

She says tourism and retail industries could benefit from recreational legalization, especially with bordering states like Kansas and Texas maintaining stricter laws.

Q: What’s next for the petition effort?

Organizers have until November 4 to collect 173,000 verified signatures.

This comes after Senate Bill 1027 was passed. That legislation placed a cap on the number of signatures petitioners can gather from urban counties, like Tulsa and Oklahoma County.