Gavel to Gavel: Marijuana could complicate child custody cases

Written by: Cassity B. Gies for The Journal Record

Almost three years after passing State Question 788 legalizing medical marijuana, Oklahoma struggles to manage the competing interests surrounding a legal concept colored with controversial opinions, long-standing prejudices, and discriminatory undertones that linger in the air every bit as noticeable as the smell of marijuana.

Far from a settled issue, the debate surrounding the medicinal value of the marijuana plant carries hundreds of years of societal and legal baggage, complicating the implementation of Oklahoma’s newest industry.

Our family law practice handles medicinal marijuana issues on a weekly basis now. The impact of holding a medical marijuana card varies according to every situation, and multiple factors affect the extent that a patient card or commercial business license can complicate a custody decision.