A lawsuit filed by Oklahoma medical cannabis businesses has forced the state to put on hold the rollout of the seed-to-sale tracking program over claims the system would allow a single private business a monopoly, News On 6 reports. The state has tabbed Florida-based Metrc to run the system.
The tracking system was supposed to start today but on Thursday a judge issued a temporary restraining order against rolling out the program, which will remain in effect until the next hearing on June 29.
Attorney Ron Durbin, representing the state’s medical cannabis operators in the lawsuit, said that the plaintiffs “don’t have an issue with the seed-to-sell tracking program” but rather “an issue with the manner in which the state has adopted this one.”
“They are at least taking this seriously that they are going to look at this issue and that this needs to be something that is more and focused on the entire state.” – Durbin to News On 6
Brandon Rust, owner of Majestic Craft Cannabis, said he would like to see Metrc pushed out of Oklahoma and that too much money would be diverted to the out-of-state firm.
“This is really important that we fight back,” he said in the report. “We need the funds to stay in Oklahoma this needs to stay for the people.”
The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority has not commented on the lawsuit; however, director Kelly Williams told News 4 earlier this month, prior to the filing of the legal challenge, that the seed-to-sale system would help “protect patient safety.”
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