Oklahoma is set to require manufacturers and distributors of medical cannabis to get registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration if they want to keep their state permits, starting in 2027.
This information comes from a bulletin released by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control on May 8.
According to the bulletin, after the federal government reclassified state-licensed medical marijuana to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, it's mandatory for licensed manufacturers and distributors to obtain DEA registration to stay in line with federal rules.
Getting registered costs $794, and applicants will need to provide some information to the feds. While a lot of folks in the industry thought DEA registration was optional, it seems Oklahoma is the first state to make it a requirement for keeping their state authorization.
The agency has said it won't start enforcing this rule until January 1, 2027. After that, companies that don't register could run into some trouble, possibly facing penalties like having their state licenses suspended or revoked.
Not too long ago, Oklahoma was seen as one of the easiest places to get into the cannabis market in the U.S., but regulators have been tightening things up lately, including extending a freeze on new business licenses through 2028.
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