As advocates for legalized recreational marijuana in Oklahoma ramp up their efforts to put the question before Oklahoma voters in 2022, they are gaining insight from a conference of marijuana retailers who are meeting in Washington to share strategies.

Entrepreneurs from all over the country gathered in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 14 to advocate on how to make the cannabis society a more equitable society for everyone.

Just Cannabusiness is a networking series event hosted by Washington D.C.’s Department of Small and Local Business Development to bring more businesses selling legal marijuana.

“We all have to work collaboratively to make our adult-use market and our cannabis market the absolute best,” said Linda Greene, chair of the DC Cannabis Trade Association.

The Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action is working to get State Question 818 to be on the 2022 Oklahoma ballot. SQ 818 will give Oklahomans the opportunity to legalize adult-use marijuana.

Jed Green, director of ORCA, said he doesn’t think getting the votes for the state question will be an issue.  

“We got the votes, we just gotta make sure everyone remembers to show up and we’ll get there,” Green said. 

To be able to be on the ballot, SQ 818 has to pass the open challenge period.

“It will run through October 27. During that period, someone can challenge the constitutionality of the language of the question,” Green said.

Once the question passes the challenge period, ORCA will have 90 days to collect 178,000 signatures. Green said they’re aiming for 250,000.

Oklahomans will have about a year to decide which way they are going to vote on SQ 818 if it is on the ballot, but cannabis activists said the time to start understanding marijuana equity is now.