The November deadline for Oklahoma's Senate Bill 1737 is rapidly inching closer to going into effect. With that deadline comes a security breach for all legal Oklahoma cannabis grows.
According to SB 1737, "All medical marijuana commercial grower licensees shall be required to post signage at the site of the commercial grow operation. Signage shall be located at the perimeter of the property with dimensions measuring no less than eighteen (18) inches by twenty-four (24) inches with a font size of no less than two (2) inches."
The signs will require information such as the Business name, physical address, the license number associated with the business, and phone number. While this may not sound like much, it creates a security problem for those who work in the industry.
Grows are typically inconspicuous and do not attract much attention. After all, the goal is to grow legal cannabis with the intent of transferring to a processor or dispensary after the product has passed testing.
Placing signage outside of a grow advertising that there is not only product worth thousands on the street inside the building, but also expensive equipment and possibly cash. At the root of the matter, SB 1737 creates a massive security risk for all involved.
Apart from a security risk, it is also a potential legal liability. SB 1737 also places industry workers in danger of injury in the event of a robbery. The fact that this risk alone was not even considered when drafting this bill is abhorrent.
SB 1737 will go into effect on November 1, 2022. Until then, industry workers have time to push back against this Bill by reaching out to their state representatives.
This article is not written to be taken as legal advice. Please consult the proper legal council in regards to implementing or fighting SB 1737.