Monday, December 10th 2018, 6:11 pm
Oklahomans for Health asked the Oklahoma attorney general for a grand jury investigation into possible collusion between state agencies when writing the rules for medical marijuana.
This comes as the OSBI is wrapping up its investigation into possible bribery. An agent with OSBI says the lengthy file will be turned over to the Oklahoma County district attorney as early as the end of this week.
The mid-July Board of Health meeting on the medical marijuana rules set the scene for the criminal case and now call for a grand jury investigation.
“When the will of the people is circumvented, that threatens our free society. So, I think we should all be extremely concerned about this even if you were a no on 788. That a state law was passed, and immediately we had state officials trying to change it,” said Chip Paul, CEO of Oklahomans for Health.
During that July meeting, board members outlawed the sale of smokable medical marijuana and required a pharmacist manage dispensaries.
See Related Story: State Board Of Health Bans Sale Of Smokable Medical Marijuana
Both rules were later revised, but text messages uncovered by Non-Doc revealed questionable conversations between Board of Pharmacy Director Chelsea Church and Health Department Chief Council Julie Ezell.
Both women have been removed from their positions, but Paul believes other agencies were also working together even before State Question 788 was passed.
That's why Paul wrote a letter to the attorney general asking for a "formal investigation into the alleged collusion that has taken place in multiple state departments."
“I’m concerned about different state agencies getting together in meetings and having meetings on how to basically derail, change or modify SQ 788. That’s really what I want to get to the bottom of,” said Paul.
A spokesperson from the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office says they cannot comment on if something is or is not under a grand jury investigation.
December 10th, 2018
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