Medical Marijuana (Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay)

Some people were locked up and given unbelievable prison sentences just for having a little pot. But now, in 2022, our government says, "let them smoke pot.”

In the 1980s -1990s, the drug war was at its peak where you saw mass incarceration across the United States. It’s a new day now. Our government is selling weed to American citizens. If you have been around for the last 30-plus years, you might remember programs like DARE. You might even remember the first lady Nancy Reagan’s “just say no” campaign. But if you’re a little younger and just coming into adulthood in 2022, there was a time of zero tolerance. Some people were locked up and given unbelievable prison sentences just for having a little pot. But now, in 2022, our government says, “let them smoke pot.”

“More than 50 years ago, President Richard Nixon started the war on drugs in the United States. Police officers make more than 1.5 million drug arrests yearly, with over 30% of those arrests being cannabis offenses. There are over 400,000 people locked up for nothing but drug violations. Black and brown people were the main target and were three times more likely to get harsher punishment than white people using the same drugs. With these minor convictions, they couldn’t even get food stamps or government help” (https://www.vera.org/news/fifty-years-ago-today-president-nixon-declared-the-war-on-drugs).

According to Oklahoma Weed Laws website (https://oklahomaweedlaws.edu), in 2018, the state of Oklahoma voters voted to legalize medical marijuana. But you must have a card to legally possess marijuana. Oklahoma has been known to be a conservative state with some of the strictest laws in the country regarding marijuana. But over time, Oklahoma has softened its stance on marijuana. But it is still illegal to possess marijuana in Oklahoma without a medical marijuana card. As of the writing of this article, having marijuana in the state of Oklahoma is a misdemeanor charge. You still can get a year in jail and a fine. 

Charles Vogler has been a Medical Marijuana patient in Oklahoma for the last two years. Charles Vogler had this to say about the war on drugs containing marijuana. 

Charles Vogler (Courtesy Photo).

“I think if anybody gets arrested for weed, I just think that is stupid. It is not like, weed is a hard drug and it’s not like you’re out there doing any kind of coke or methamphetamine, just marijuana. I mean hell two of our presidents grow it,” said Charles Vogler. 

Charles Vogler had this to say about Oklahoma legalizing recreational marijuana. 

“Oh, definitely I had seizures for two years before I am able to get my medical the whole two years. The doctor kept telling me marijuana would help with my seizures, but I couldn’t smoke legally because I couldn’t afford to get my medical license,” said Charles Vogler.

Leah Welch is 38 years old, and she have been a Medical Marijuana cardholder for the last two years. This is what Leah Welch had to say about the war on drugs. 

Leah Welch (Courtesy Photo).

“There’s people serving time for marijuana-related crimes and some of these crimes probably was bad. But the crimes were people was locked up for having paraphernalia of just having personal product, I feel like they should be free, free to enjoy their family. I mean it’s legal now why are we still holding them accountable,” said Leah Welch.

“Recreationally, I believe that it should be legalized. We have made so much profit having it for medical purposes that the profit to be made recreationally would be huge so definitely a good idea,” Leah Welch continued about the state of Oklahoma legalizing recreational marijuana.

To get more information about Oklahoma Weed Laws, call (405) 924-5067.