Oklahoma voters recently approved a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana use, making the state the 30th in the nation to permit such use.  Unlike some other states, the Oklahoma measure allows doctors to prescribe medical marijuana for any medical condition, rather than restricting its use to treating specific conditions.

Under the new law, patients who are legally prescribed medical marijuana will receive state ID cards and are permitted to carry up to 3 ounces of cannabis in public.  Additional amounts of cannabis, as well as up to six cannabis plants, may be stored in the patient’s home.

The ballot measure as drafted also contains anti-discrimination protections for medical marijuana license holders.  Employers are generally prohibited from discriminating against license holders when making hiring or termination decisions, or when imposing any term or condition of employment that penalizes an individual solely based on their status as a medical marijuana license holder or results of a drug test positive for marijuana or its components, unless failure to do so would cause the employer to lose a monetary or licensing-related benefit under federal law.  Additionally, employers are still free to take action against employees who use or possess marijuana on the employer’s premises or during hours of employment.