Rep. West and Chancellor Burrage
By Rep. Rick West
Chancellor Sean Burrage, the chief executive officer for the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, visited Carl Albert State College last week. He and college President Jay Falkner discussed the benefit of state and community colleges, particularly for rural areas of the state.
They mentioned that about one-third of the state’s college students attend either the University of Oklahoma or Oklahoma State University, while about one-third go to a regional university. The remaining one-third attend colleges such as Carl Albert.
Oklahoma has 25 public colleges and universities and 12 community colleges. The Regents for Higher Education report this results in a $14.61 billion annual impact to the state’s economy and supports over 111,000 jobs, all while helping to train the next generation for the workforce and life. That sounds impressive. I’m glad Carl Albert is getting recognition for it’s part in this system. They do a good job.
At the Capitol, we held a number of interim studies last week.
One focused on kratom, which is sold at many gas stations and convenience stores across the state and available to anyone 18 or over. This product that comes from the leaves of a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia is often paired with additives such as mitragynine, an active alkaloid, and 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH.
Toxicologists with the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shared that mitragynine was listed as a contributory factor on 44 Oklahoma death certificates from 2021 to 2025. Between January 2025 and June this year, mitragynine and or an alkaloid were listed as a factor in 42 deaths, so the problem is growing.
Several who presented at this study talked about its addictive and even deadly effects. I’ve had constituents contact me asking me to support legislation to ban kratom and its derivatives. Another lawmaker has vowed to run legislation to accomplish this. I’ll certainly be reading it to see if I can sign on.
Another study focused on medical marijuana testing and public health outcomes. Lawmakers heard from medical marijuana patients and industry advocates, laboratory testing businesses and the state’s regulatory agency, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. The presenters proposed a bunch of different ways the industry could be further regulated to address testing and public safety. The chair of the House Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled Substances Committee, however, suggested those in the industry need to get together to work on the list of changes they’d like to see as right now many of their proposals are at odds.
The Legislature has done a lot to try to regulate this industry since a state question was passed by voters back in 2018 legalizing medical marijuana. We’ll see what changes are proposed during the next legislative session. It seems we do still need some reforms.
Remember to listen to my Capitol update on the radio at 7:35 a.m. every Thursday on KPRV.
As always, if I can help you with anything, please call my Capitol office at (405) 557-7413 or email me at rick.west@okhouse.gov.
Rick West serves District 3 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes part of LeFlore County.
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