A RECAP OF THURSDAY NIGHT'S GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE ON OETA TONIGHT.

ON THIS STAGE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT CANDIDATES WITH TWO VERY DIFFERENT VISIONS FOR OUR STATE.

NOW WE HAVE SOME DISAGREEMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO HOW BEST TO ACHIEVE A BETTER EDUCATION OUTCOMES.

PLUS, WE'LL ALSO SPEAK WITH THE THREE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES VYING TO SUCCEED KEVIN STITT.

WE NEED MORE INDEPENDENT PEOPLE OWNING BUSINESSES IN THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES IN ORDER TO DRIVE THAT TAXATION.

I THINK WE NEED TO ELIMINATE INCOME TAXES AND PROPERTY TAXES.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO CUT TAXES.

YOU CAN'T CUT TAXES UNTIL YOU CUT SPENDING.

PRESIDENT TRUMP VISITS OKLAHOMA FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2020.

WHY ARE YOU GOING TO OKLAHOMA?

I SAID, YOU KNOW WHY?

BECAUSE I WON OKLAHOMA ALL THREE TIMES WITH THE HIGHEST VOTE TOTAL.

OUR WEEKLY IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON WHETHER THE DRUG KRATOM SHOULD BE BANNED IN OKLAHOMA.

THERE'S NO CONTROL OF THE SUBSTANCE.

OUR YOUTH ARE GETTING AHOLD OF IT.

OUR YOUTH ARE OVERDOSING.

THOSE STORIES.

PLUS, WHO NEEDS A PILOT?

A DEMONSTRATION OF AUTONOMOUS FLYING.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M RICH LENZ.

ON THURSDAY NIGHT, OETA AIRED A ONE HOUR GOVERNOR'S DEBATE SEEN STATEWIDE IN ALL 77 OKLAHOMA COUNTIES FEATURING CANDIDATES MIKE MAZZEI AND CYNDI MUNSON.

IN THIS NEWSCAST, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM THEM, AS WELL AS THE THREE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES HOPING TO SUCCEED KEVIN STITT.

THURSDAY'S DEBATE, MODERATED BY OETA VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCTION SUSAN CADOU AND MYSELF, INCLUDED 15 QUESTIONS COVERING A VARIETY OF TOPICS AI, ICE, SMELTER PLANTS, RURAL HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION AND.

THIS QUESTION OF GREAT INTEREST TO ALL OETA VIEWERS.

THIS NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM QUESTION.

GIVEN THE ROOM THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY ALL IN.

I DON'T SEE ANY ELEPHANTS.

WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS NEXT FEBRUARY.

WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT LAWMAKERS WILL CONSIDER AND PASS LEGISLATION TO REAUTHORIZE OETA.

IF THAT IS SUCCESSFUL, WILL YOU SUPPORT THAT LEGISLATION OR ATTEMPT TO VETO IT, AS THE CURRENT GOVERNOR DID SUCCESSFULLY LAST SPRING?

AND PLEASE EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR YOUR ANSWER IN DETAIL.

WE WILL BEGIN WITH CYNDI MUNSON.

THANK YOU, RICH, AND THANK YOU TO OETA FOR HOSTING US THIS EVENING.

I, I LOVE PUBLIC TELEVISION AND OETA SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I KNOW HOW VITAL IT IS TO YOU AT HOME, NOT ONLY FOR PROGRAMS THAT YOU LOVE AND APPRECIATE, BUT ALSO ACCESS TO NEWS.

WE KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN BORDERING TOWNS ACROSS THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO LOCAL NEWS, AND OETA RESPONDS TO THAT.

OETA IS ALSO VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES AND GETTING ALERTS OUT TO OKLAHOMANS ACROSS OUR STATE.

I HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED EXTENDING THE SUNSET FOR OETA AND FUNDING FOR OETA.

SHOULD I BE ELECTED GOVERNOR IN FEBRUARY, I WILL WORK WITH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, AS I HAVE ALWAYS DONE, TO MAKE SURE THAT OETA IS HELD WHOLE.

YOU HAVE FUNDING.

OETA HAS FUNDING TO THE ACCESS THAT THEY NEED.

IN ORDER FOR US TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.

AND OF COURSE, THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH.

I EVEN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER DURING A TELETHON EARLIER THIS SPRING, AND I LOVED SO MUCH HEARING YOUR STORIES ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE SHOWS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE SERVICE THAT PUBLIC TELEVISION BRINGS FOR ALL OKLAHOMANS.

MR.

MACY, YOUR RESPONSE?

THE REASON WE AGREED TO THE INVITATION TO DO THIS DEBATE ON OETA IS WE REALLY RESPECT THE HIGH JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS AND THE EXTRAORDINARY PROGRAMING MAKES US BELIEVE THAT OETA AND THIS STATION CAN COMPETE VERY, VERY WELL IN THE MARKETPLACE.

I BECAME A BUDGET HAWK BECAUSE WHEN NOEL AND I STARTED LIFE, IT WAS TOUGH TO GET AHEAD WITH ALL THE TAXES WE HAD TO PAY.

IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO PAY OUR SCHOOL LOANS, GET CARS THAT ACTUALLY DIDN'T BREAK DOWN.

AND SO WHEN I WENT INTO THE LEGISLATURE, I REALLY WANTED TO RESPECT TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WHICH IS WHY I FIXED THE PENSION SYSTEMS FOR TEACHERS AND POLICE OFFICERS, GOT RID OF $1 BILLION WORTH OF CORPORATE WELFARE AND LAUNCHED THE OKLAHOMA BACK TO SCHOOL SALES TAX HOLIDAY AND CUT TAXES IN THE BILLIONS.

ALL TOLD, WE SAVED $10 BILLION.

AND I KNOW HOW TO SAVE BILLIONS MORE, WHICH IS WHY WE WILL HAVE AN OFFICE OF STATE FINANCE AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO GET TO WORK ON THESE MANY AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I ALREADY REFERRED TO, AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERY STATE AGENCY PUTS ON MY DESK FINANCIAL REPORTS EVERY 90 DAYS SO WE CAN UNCOVER ADDITIONAL UNNECESSARY SPENDING.

SO YOU AT LEAST CONSIDER IF I COULD FOLLOW UP, YOU'LL AT LEAST CONSIDER REAUTHORIZING THE FUNDING FOR OETA.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES.

PARTICIPATION IN OUR DEBATE WAS BASED ON REACHING CERTAIN FUNDRAISING THRESHOLDS, AND THAT EXCLUDED THE THREE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

HOWEVER, PRIOR TO THURSDAY NIGHT, OUR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, JASON DOYLE, SAT DOWN WITH ALL THREE CANDIDATES TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR VISION FOR OUR STATE.

AND THEY, TOO, WERE ASKED ABOUT OETA FUTURE.

RICH, WE GAVE THE THREE CANDIDATES ABOUT FOUR MINUTES EACH TO ANSWER FIVE QUESTIONS, AND WE'RE NOW PRESENTING THAT IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, STARTING WITH ROBERT BROOKS.

WELL, I DECIDED TO RUN BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN FOLLOWING CHRIST.

YOU KNOW, HE WARNED AGAINST THE LOVE OF MONEY.

AND I FOLLOW ALSO THE PROPHECIES OF WASHINGTON.

YOU KNOW, HE WARNED ABOUT THIS DIVISION THAT WOULD BE CREATED BY THESE TWO PARTIES SINCE THE THE INDEPENDENT REGISTRATION AND AND, YOU KNOW, LINCOLN, HE DREAMT OF A GOVERNMENT OF FOR AND BY WE THE PEOPLE AND AND, AND HE WARNED US THAT, YOU KNOW, ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD LEAVE THE GOVERNANCE TO THE PEOPLE, BUT SAFEGUARD THE PEOPLE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

AND ALSO JEFFERSON, WHO WARNED ABOUT WHAT A A RESTRICTED PRESS WOULD DO.

AND IT'S VERY REMINISCENT TODAY OF WHAT ADOLF HITLER DID WITH HIS PROPAGANDA MACHINE.

SO I DECIDED TO JUMP IN THIS GUBERNATORIAL RACE.

AND I WROTE MY BOOK, THE FARMER SERVANT MOVEMENT, ABOUT THIS MISSION TO REPAIR THIS HOUSE, THIS POLITICAL HOUSE THAT'S DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON QUICKLY TO EDUCATION.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IMPROVING OKLAHOMA'S EDUCATION?

WELL, I FEEL LIKE OBVIOUSLY WE'RE 50TH IN THE NATION.

WE NEED TO MODERNIZE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

WE KEEP REPEATING THE SAME STEPS OVER AND OVER, PAST THIS, PAST THAT WE'RE GOING TO THROW THE MONEY AT TEACHERS RAISES.

I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO AUDIT.

WE NEED A FULL AUDIT OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM TO, TO PUT THE MONEY WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING MY CAMPAIGN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN INVESTIGATING OUR GOVERNMENT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

I THINK THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE QUITE SURPRISED AT WHERE ALL THIS MONEY IS ACTUALLY BEEN GOING.

LET'S MOVE TO TAXATION.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE OKLAHOMA'S SYSTEM OF TAXATION TO LOOK?

I THINK WE NEED TO ELIMINATE INCOME TAXES AND PROPERTY TAXES.

I THINK WE NEED TO RELY MORE.

YOU KNOW, OKLAHOMA, WE'RE WE'RE RICH IN IN FOOD SOURCES, YOU KNOW, FARMING, RANCHING, ALSO OIL AND GAS.

AND NOW WE HAVE OUR CANNABIS INDUSTRY.

WE NEED TO RELY ON THOSE INDUSTRIES TO CREATE TARIFF MONEY TO BRING IN.

THERE'S, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY A RICH STATE LIKE THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA TAXES THE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE WHILE ELIMINATING TAXES FOR CORPORATIONS.

I THINK WE NEED TO STOP THE CORPORATE WELFARE TURNING TO AI BECAUSE THAT'S THE HOT TOPIC NOWADAYS.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT AI?

I THINK WE NEED TO EMBRACE AI, BUT LEGISLATE IT.

WE NEED TO INCORPORATE AI INTO OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM BECAUSE IF WE DON'T EMBRACE IT, WE'RE GOING TO BE LEFT FAR BEHIND.

AND THAT'S WHAT I ALREADY SEE.

I SEE THE OTHER CANDIDATES JUST REVERTING BACK TO THE SAME TALKING POINTS.

I'M GOING TO THROW MONEY AT THIS.

I'M GOING TO THROW MONEY AT THAT.

I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE THAT ACTUALLY HAS A PLAN.

AND I THINK IF PEOPLE WILL GO TO MY WEBSITE, WWW.WETHEPEOPLE.COM, THEY WILL SEE I AM LITERALLY THE ONLY CANDIDATE THAT HAS A PLAN TO FIX ALL OF THESE THINGS, AND I'M WILLING TO PUT THOSE PLANS AND PROMISES ON PAPER BEFORE YOU ELECT ME.

AND I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE THAT'S WILLING TO DO THAT.

FINAL QUESTION.

AS YOU KNOW, OETA IS LOOKING TO BE REAUTHORIZED THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT OETA?

I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP WATCHING OETA.

IT WAS IT WAS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF MY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

AND AND I DON'T WANT TO PICK ON YOU GUYS, BUT I FEEL LIKE MODERN TECHNOLOGY HAS HAS RAN AWAY FROM OETA.

SO MY PLAN WOULD REVITALIZE OETA AND MODERNIZE OETA SO THAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW, THE CHILDREN OF THE FUTURE COULD ENJOY.

OETA.

THE WAY I DID WHENEVER I WAS A CHILD.

LIKE I SAY, IT WAS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF MY EDUCATION.

WELL, LET'S SEE, SINCE THE STUDIOS ARE OVER HERE IN MUSGRAVE, OKLAHOMA CITY, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

I GREW UP IN NORTH HIGHLANDS, JUST ACROSS THE WAY.

I GREW UP IN MUSGRAVE.

WELL, MY PARENTS OWNED A HOUSE IN MUSGRAVE, SO MUSGRAVE AND NORTH HIGHLANDS VILLAGE OUT TO MIDWEST CITY, AND THEN GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL FROM STAR SPENCER AND THEN WENT RIGHT INTO THE MILITARY.

US ARMY SIDE WAS ON ACTIVE DUTY UNTIL FROM 83 TO 87, WENT RIGHT INTO THE US ARMY RESERVES, STAYED IN US ARMY RESERVES UNTIL 205 WHERE I WAS PUT IN MED HOLD AND DISCHARGED WITH A. I DIDN'T GET A MEDICAL DISCHARGE, BUT DISCHARGED DUE TO WHATEVER THEY DEEMED IT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

LET ME GO AHEAD AND PAUSE YOU THERE AND LET'S MOVE TO EDUCATION.

LET ME HEAR ABOUT YOUR STANCE ON HOW TO IMPROVE EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA.

WELL, HOW TO IMPROVE EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA.

WELL, ONE THING IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OETA IS FUNDED.

I GREW UP ON OETA.

IT WAS A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR US WITH ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ON THERE.

AND TWO FOR I GUESS I'M AT THE END OF THE BABY BOOMER ORDEAL.

I THINK THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN EDUCATION IS THAT WHEN WE SEEN IT, WHEN DEMOCRATS WERE IN CONTROL, WE WERE IN THE TOP TEN, REPUBLICANS GOT IN AND WE STARTED TO SLIDE.

WELL, ONE THING THAT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME, MENTIONED BY ONE OF MY FRIENDS OVER AT THE PATRIOT CHANNEL, IS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

THEN WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, RIGHT WHEN REPUBLICANS GOT IN, AND THEN ALL THE FEDERAL MANDATES TO DO THIS, THAT AND EDUCATE IN MANNERS IS NOT WAS NOT NATURAL TO THE BABY BOOMER AND THOSE THAT HAD CHILDREN AT HOME.

I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO ON EDUCATION IS HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OETA, A LITTLE BIT MORE INDIVIDUALS AT HOME THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS TRAINING KIDS ACCORDING TO THE CURRICULUM, TO REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

LET'S MOVE ON TO TAXES.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE TAX REFORM PLAY OUT IN OKLAHOMA?

TAX REFORM, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY NOW SALES TAX, RETAIL RESTAURANT THIS THAT AND THE OTHER IS THE WHOLE BASIS FOR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES IN ORDER TO DERIVE THEIR TAXATION, TO RUN PROGRAMS FOR THE CITY AND STATE.

IF YOU HAVE NONE OF THOSE, BECAUSE BIG BUSINESS HAS COME IN AND GET A FIVE YEAR MORATORIUM ON PAYING TAXES, AND THEN OTHER RESTAURANTEURS AND OTHER FOREIGNERS THAT COME IN AND GET TAXATION FOR FIVE YEARS, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO PASS THAT INHERITANCE OF FIVE MORE YEARS DOWN.

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO THE TAX BASE?

WE NEED MORE ENTREPRENEURS.

WE NEED MORE INDEPENDENT PEOPLE OWNING BUSINESSES IN THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES IN ORDER TO DRIVE THAT TAXATION.

AND THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO RELY SO HEAVILY ON PROPERTY TAX AND OTHER TAXES.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE GOT ABOUT 30S LEFT.

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS LEFT.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT'S YOUR STANCE ON AI?

AI IS A NECESSITY.

WE NEED TO HAVE IT.

BUT THE DATA CENTERS WHERE THEY'RE PLACING THEM COULD BE DONE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.

POWER GENERATION, WATER AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

OKAY.

POWER GENERATION COULD BE DONE BY THE AI SYSTEMS THEMSELVES, DATA CENTERS, WATER CONSUMPTION.

WE PROBABLY NEED TO WORK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT, OR WE NEED TO DO A COUPLE LITTLE RAIN DANCES IN ORDER TO GET ENOUGH WATER BACK INTO THE NATURAL RESOURCES.

FINAL QUESTION HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT OETA REAUTHORIZATION THIS SPRING WHEN THE LEGISLATURE RECONVENES?

WHAT, WHAT WHAT IS IT EVEN A QUESTION?

YOU KNOW, BY FAR A LOT OF THE BABY BOOMERS.

AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I'M IN THAT ERA.

YOUNGER GENERATIONS HAVE, YOU KNOW, CAME UP WITH SESAME STREET THIS, THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE A BASIS IN WHICH TO ENTERTAIN AND EDUCATE AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH OETA IS GROUPED ALL THAT TOGETHER, WE GOT TOO MUCH STRESS GOING ON IN THE WORLD TODAY IN ORDER FOR CHILDREN TO SIT AND BE, YOU KNOW, ATTACHED TO A TV.

IF IT'S NOT ENTERTAINING, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE EDUCATED WITH IT.

OETA DOES A GREAT JOB, FOUNDATION WISE, OF EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT AT THE SAME TIME.

SO WHERE'S THE MONEY AT?

WELL, DOCTOR GRIFFIN IS A FAIRLY WELL KNOWN IN TULSA.

I WAS ON THE TULSA SCHOOL BOARD FOR FOUR YEARS.

BUT WHAT REALLY HAS DEFINED ME IS MY MARINE CORPS CAREER.

I WAS IN VIETNAM, SERVED IN VIETNAM AS A COMBAT MARINE.

AS A RESULT OF THAT, I WAS AGENT ORANGE.

I THINK YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

AND SO THAT'S WHO I AM.

I'VE DONE DIFFERENT THINGS.

WHAT'S INTERESTING, ONE INTERESTING THING IS I WORKED FOR THE SHAH OF IRAN INDIRECTLY, BUT I WAS ON KISH ISLAND WHERE THEY WERE BOMBING.

NOW I WAS ONE OF TEN AMERICANS THAT'S ON THAT KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON IN IRAN RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S FASCINATING.

WELL, LET'S MOVE TO DOMESTIC POLITICS AND TOP UP.

TELL ME YOUR STANCE ON EDUCATION HERE IN OKLAHOMA, EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA.

OBVIOUSLY, AFTER BEING ON THE TULSA SCHOOL BOARD, I HAVE SOME PRETTY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THAT.

WHEN I GOT OFF THE BOARD TWO YEARS AGO, I WROTE A 205 PAGE BOOK, NOT JUST FOR OKLAHOMA, BUT FOR AMERICA.

HOW CAN WE FIX EDUCATION?

WE HAVE TO HAVE A YEAR OF READING AT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

SO I'VE PROPOSED PRE THREE PRE FOR KINDERGARTEN.

THEN WE TAKE FIRST GRADE AND WE REDEFINE THAT WHOLE MODEL INTO ALL READING.

NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SIT AND READ A BOOK.

YOU DO DIFFERENT THINGS.

BUT IF YOU DON'T BUILD A FOUNDATION, AS EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY AGREES THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT READING.

ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TAXATION.

THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT TAX REFORM.

WHERE DO YOU STAND?

EVERYBODY WANTS TO CUT TAXES.

YOU CAN'T CUT TAXES UNTIL YOU CUT SPENDING.

WHAT I WANT TO DO IS CUT SPENDING.

AND PEOPLE THINK I'M SILLY 10 TO 15%.

HOW DO I DO THAT?

I DON'T DO IT WITH CONSULTANTS.

WHO KNOWS YOUR JOB BETTER THAN ANYBODY YOU DO?

WHEN THEY DID THE DODGE THING AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'VE EVER DONE ANY OF THOSE TIME MOTION STUDIES.

THEY'RE EASY TO BEAT.

SO I'M GOING TO TELL EVERY EMPLOYEE, YOU'RE GOING TO DO YOUR OWN STUDY ABOUT HOW WE CAN SAVE MONEY AT YOUR JOB, NOT EVERYBODY ELSE'S.

THE CHALLENGE WILL BE YOU SAVE 15%, WE GIVE YOU 5% BACK.

NOW, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT FORMULA FOR THAT, BUT I REALLY BELIEVE WE CAN CUT.

IF YOU CUT SPENDING MOST OF.

MOST OF THE TAX CUT PROPOSALS NOW ARE.

LET'S MOVE IT FROM A TO B. YOU KNOW, WE TAKE AWAY IT HERE AND WE MOVE IT TO BE.

I WANT TO CUT THE GOVERNMENT.

SMALL GOVERNMENT IS EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT.

LET'S MOVE TO AI.

BIG TOPIC.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT AI.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AI.

AI WAS COINED IN 1955 BY A GROUP OF STUDENTS APPLYING FOR A 7500 GRANT.

TURING NEVER SAID AI TURING.

TURING.

YEAH.

ALAN TURING, THE.

HE ASKED THE QUESTION, CAN MACHINES THINK SO?

AI IS A MARKETING TERM.

WHAT IT IS.

IT'S STATISTICAL APPROXIMATION GENERATOR.

IT'S A FAST GUESSER.

THE PROBLEM WITH AI RIGHT NOW IS IT GOES TO THE CLOUD.

I HAVE DEVELOPED MY OWN AI ON MY COMPUTER AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TWO.

SO WHAT?

HOW THAT APPLIES TO STATE.

WE NEED TO GET OFF THE CLOUD.

THE CLOUD IS A DANGEROUS PLACE.

WE NEED TO NOT CALL AI.

AI.

IT'S A IT'S A FABULOUS TOOL.

NOW CHATGPT AND AI CAN BE DIVIDED.

YOU DON'T NEED THE CHAT PROGRAM TO DO THAT.

TO DO THE COMPUTER STUFF.

I HAVE TO CALL IT AI SOMETIME SO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

BUT SAG IS A BETTER TERM STATISTICAL APPROXIMATE GENERATOR.

IT GOES AND FINDS THE NEXT BEST LETTER REALLY, REALLY FAST.

I RECALL THE SUPERCOMPUTERS OF THE 1980S.

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO SOLVE CANCER PROBLEMS.

WHAT EVERYBODY WAS DOING WITH THESE COMPUTERS NOW IS RIGHT IN THEIR FAVORITE RECIPE.

OR DRAWING CARTOONS.

THAT'S FINE.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT DATA CENTERS BECAUSE THAT'S I'M GOING TO PAUSE YOU RIGHT THERE BECAUSE WE DO.

WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

BUT I WANT TO ASK THE LAST QUESTION, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT OETA REAUTHORIZATION COMING UP IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

I THINK OETA IS IMPORTANT.

WE NEED TO FUND IT FULLY.

NOW, OUR GOVERNOR'S DEBATE THAT AIRED AT 7:00 ON THURSDAY NIGHT WAS PRE-TAPED EARLIER IN THE DAY TO ENABLE MIKE MAZZEI TO ATTEND A RALLY WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP.

THAT SAME EVENING, THE MUNSON CAMPAIGN AGREED TO DO THAT CHANGE.

AND WE APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE BOTH CANDIDATES ON THE DEBATE STAGE AT THE SAME TIME.

NOAH MACK AND JASON DOYLE ATTENDED THE RALLY IN DURANT THAT INCLUDED SUPPORTERS AND PROTESTERS.

AND NOAH JOINS US NOW AFTER A LATE NIGHT.

NOAH.

YES, RICH, THERE WERE PROTESTERS, A GROUP OF THEM ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE EVENT, AS WELL AS PEOPLE HONKING AND YELLING FROM THEIR CARS AS THEY PASS BY.

AS FOR THE PRESIDENT'S SUPPORTERS, THEY LINED UP OUTSIDE EARLY IN THE MORNING, ANTSY TO GET INSIDE.

WITH A MONTH AWAY FROM THE MIDTERMS, HE MADE HIS PITCH TO OKLAHOMANS AND TO THE NATION.

THE 45TH AND 47 PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD J. TRUMP.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, ARRIVING ABOUT TWO HOURS LATE TO HIS RALLY IN DURANT, OKLAHOMA, AFTER WEATHER DELAYS.

MEANWHILE, OKLAHOMANS LINED UP TO SEE HIM IN THE EARLY MORNING AND THROUGH THE POURING RAIN.

UHC DONATE TO UHC RALLY.

YEAH, WHEN I ASKED ATTENDEES WHAT THEY HOPED TO HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT, MANY OF THEM SAID THIS THE PRICE GAS HOPE TO HEAR THAT THE GAS IS GOING TO COME DOWN AND THAT THE WORLD'S GOING TO COME TO PEACE.

OIL PRICES WERE NOT BROUGHT UP IN THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH, BUT ONE ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IS VERY CLOSE TO OKLAHOMA.

THE ALUMINUM SMELTER PLANT IN INOLA, OKLAHOMA, OF WHICH HE SUPPORTS.

I HOPE YOU ALL AGREE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CANNOT GET ALUMINUM IN THE UNITED STATES.

YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD THE LARGEST ALUMINUM FACTORY, PERHAPS IN THE WORLD, AND YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A FORTUNE WITH IT.

A LOT OF JOBS, A LOT OF EVERYTHING.

IT'S CLEAN.

AI AND DATA CENTERS IS ANOTHER INDUSTRY TRUMP IS PUSHING TO BUILD DOMESTICALLY.

FOR JEFFREY ROWLAND, HE'S ALL IN ON TRUMP.

BUT AS A RURAL OKLAHOMAN HAS SOME RESERVATIONS.

WE'RE FARMERS, SO WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE RESTRICTIONS ON THAT BECAUSE WE DEPEND UPON AN AQUIFER AND WE DO WORRY ABOUT IT RUNNING DRY.

BUT WE NEED THE TECHNOLOGY AND WE NEED THE INDUSTRY SO WE DON'T DEPEND ON OTHER COUNTRIES.

TRUMP KEPT HIS AUDIENCE ENGAGED FOR TWO OKLAHOMANS A BIT MORE ENGAGED THAN THEY EXPECTED.

ARE THEY STILL IMPORTANT REPUBLICANS AT LARGE, ON BOARD WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS POLITICAL INFLUENCE ARE 100%.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE REPUBLICANS WHO WANT TO BE THOUGHT ABOUT CONCERN?

YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOU'RE NOT TRYING.

YOU GOT TO GET THEM.

WHERE ARE THEY?

YOU CAN'T MISS A BIG, STRONG, HANDSOME OKLAHOMA.

STUDS, WHERE ARE YOU?

COME UP HERE.

COME UP HERE.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP, FOR ALL YOU DO EVERY DAY.

YOU WORK HARDER THAN ANY AMERICAN I KNOW.

HE ALSO GAVE A SHOUT OUT TO TWO PROMINENT BASKETBALL PLAYERS IN THE CROWD, AND USED THEM TO ILLUSTRATE HIS STANCE ON MEN PLAYING IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.

WHERE'S FREEDOM?

I SAW A MAN HERE, THE LARGEST HUMAN BEING I'VE EVER.

WHERE THE HELL IS FREEDOM?

ALL RIGHT, LET'S STAND UP, PLEASE.

LOOK AT THIS STAND.

I MEAN, IN ALL FAIRNESS, THIS GUY IS A MONSTER.

HE DREAMS OF PLAYING AGAINST WOMEN.

HE WANTS TO PLAY.

IN FACT, HE'S WILLING TO SAY THAT HE'S A WOMAN IN ORDER TO PLAY AGAINST WOMEN.

AND I DON'T THINK HE REALLY BELIEVES THAT.

BUT THAT'S OKAY.

THESE ARE MIGHTY DEEDS.

AND WE HAVE ANOTHER STAR.

STAY STANDING.

WHERE'S DENNIS RODMAN?

THE GREAT DENNIS RODMAN?

WHERE'S DENNIS?

I TOOK PICTURES WITH THESE GUYS BACKSTAGE.

I DIDN'T LIKE IT.

I'M SUPPOSED TO BE A LARGE PERSON.

I DIDN'T FEEL LARGE AT ALL.

JUST A MONTH OUT FROM THE MIDTERMS, THE PRESIDENT MADE HIS SPEECH TO OKLAHOMANS AND TO TEXANS WHO SHOWED UP ASKING THEM TO VOTE FOR HIS ENDORSEES.

AND IN THIS ELECTION, I'M ASKING YOU TO JUST HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.

WE DO GREAT.

WHEN I'M ON THE BALLOT, WHEN I'M NOT ON THE BALLOT, PEOPLE DON'T GO AND VOTE SO MUCH.

PRETEND I'M RUNNING.

PLEASE JUST PRETEND BECAUSE I AM IN THE BALLOT.

I'M INCREDIBLY THANKFUL TO HAVE PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S ENDORSEMENT AND HONORED TO HAVE HIM HERE SUPPORTING US TODAY.

OKLAHOMA HAS ALWAYS STOOD WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP BECAUSE HE KEEPS HIS PROMISES, FIGHTS FOR OUR VALUES, AND NEVER BACKS DOWN FROM PUTTING OKLAHOMA AND AMERICA FIRST.

WITH DEMOCRAT JAMES TALARICO LEADING IN THE POLLS AGAINST TRUMP PICK KEN PAXTON.

THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE TEXAS SENATE RACE.

SINCE WE OKLAHOMANS LIKE TO COMPETE WITH YOU TEXANS IN THE ROOM, I'M GOING TO THROW DOWN A CHALLENGE.

LET'S MAKE TEXAS AS RED AS OKLAHOMA.

AND TRUMP REITERATED THAT IF REPUBLICANS KEEP CONTROL OF CONGRESS AFTER THE MIDTERMS, HE PROMISES TO SEND EVERY ADULT AMERICAN A CHECK FOR $5,000.

RICH, NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE LEAVES OF THE KRATOM TREE NATIVE TO SOUTHEAST ASIA, CONTAIN CHEMICALS THAT CAN ACT AS A STIMULANT IN LOW DOSES AND AS A SEDATIVE IN HIGHER DOSES.

NOW, THE DRUG IS CURRENTLY LEGAL HERE IN OKLAHOMA, BUT ONE LAWMAKER WANTS TO CHANGE THAT, WHILE OTHERS BELIEVE KRATOM, WHEN PROPERLY USED, CAN BE BENEFICIAL.

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST.

AND HERE'S A PREVIEW.

NOW WE'RE SEEING THESE COMPOUNDS RISE IN ANOTHER SUBSTANCE, WHICH IS KRATOM, WHICH IS BEING SOLD IN GAS STATIONS BEING SOLD OVER THE COUNTER, BEING SOLD IN VENDING MACHINES.

THERE'S NO CONTROL OF THIS SUBSTANCE.

OUR YOUTH ARE GETTING AHOLD OF IT.

OUR YOUTH ARE OVERDOSING, AND OUR YOUNG ADULTS ARE OVERDOSING AS WELL.

SO IT'S TIME THAT WE TRIED LAST YEAR WITH THE CREDIT PROTECTION ACT, SENATE BILL 891, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THE RISE IN THESE COMPOUNDS.

EVERY SINGLE DEATH IS A TRAGEDY, BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE TAKING KRATOM IN OKLAHOMA.

SO THE ESTIMATED AMOUNTS FOR KRATOM USERS IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES IS ABOUT 20 MILLION.

AND THAT WAS A 2024 ESTIMATE IN OKLAHOMA.

THAT COMES OUT TO ABOUT 240,000 KRATOM CONSUMERS.

AND SO IF YOU CRIMINALIZE ANY PORTION OF THIS, THOSE CONSUMERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO MANAGE THEIR PAIN OR MANAGE THEIR OPIOID USE.

RECOVERY MODERATOR SUSAN GADOT WILL HAVE THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST.

WE ARE ONE MONTH INTO A 90 DAY TARIFF FREE QUOTA EXPANSION ON FOREIGN BEEF AIMED AT LOWERING BEEF PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES BY INCREASING SUPPLY BY 300,000 METRIC TONS.

IS THAT HELPING CONSUMERS OR JUST HURTING BEEF RANCHERS HERE IN OKLAHOMA?

STEVE SCHORR JOINS US NOW WITH SOME OF THE EARLY ANSWERS.

STEVE RICH, WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT IN AUGUST THAT HE WAS LETTING 300,000 TONS OF ARGENTINE BEEF INTO THE U.S.

FINANCIAL EXPERTS POINTED OUT THAT REALLY ONLY AMOUNTS TO 2% OF EXPECTED AMERICAN CONSUMPTION THIS YEAR.

LOCAL BEEF EXPERTS TOLD ME THAT MISSED THE POINT.

COLTON AND KAYLEE SHELINE ARE FOURTH GENERATION FARMERS AND OPERATE A THOUSAND ACRE CATTLE OPERATION NEAR LAMONT IN GRANT COUNTY.

LAMONT IS NOT SPECIAL.

YOU CAN DRIVE DOWN 6011, 81.

I MEAN, SMALL TOWNS ARE STRUGGLING.

IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE A LACK OF PRODUCERS BECAUSE THEY'VE ALL HAD.

SLOWLY WE'VE LOST THEM OVER THE YEARS.

THE SHE LINES SAY THEY KEEP GOING BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PROFITABLE THROUGH THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY CATTLE.

BUT IN THE FACE OF YET ANOTHER MIND NUMBING DROUGHT THIS YEAR, A SOLUTION WOULD BE NICE.

WISH I HAD ONE.

IF I KNEW IT, I'D BE REALLY RICH.

BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU.

I WORK WITH A LOT OF PRODUCERS IN THIS AREA, AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CROPS AND CATTLE AND CROPS RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE STILL HAVING A HARD TIME ON THAT SIDE.

SO THE DROUGHT, BECAUSE OF THE DROUGHT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S LEANING ON CATTLE TO KIND OF MAKE THE FARM WORK AND IT'S JUST GETTING TIGHTER.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY FEELING IT AND THEY DON'T NEED THE INTERFERENCE FROM WASHINGTON.

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID IN LATE AUGUST, LETTING IN FOREIGN BEEF WOULD DRIVE DOWN THE PRICES OF CATTLE MEAT IN U.S.

GROCERY STORES.

STATE SENATOR CASEY MURDOCH'S GREAT GRANDFATHER IN 1896 SETTLED 12 MILES FROM THE NEW MEXICO BORDER IN CIMARRON COUNTY, ON THE FAR NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE.

WE SPOKE TO HIM THIS PAST TUESDAY AT HIS FARM IN NORMAN.

THE SIGNS OF THIS YEAR'S DROUGHT ARE EVERYWHERE.

MURDOCH SAYS THAT 2% OF ARGENTINIAN BEEF IS NOT.

WHAT HAS OKLAHOMA FARMERS AND RANCHERS STILL FUMING.

THE TIMING.

NOW THE 300 METRIC TONS.

WHAT THAT DOES FOR OUR SUPPLY IS NOT A WHOLE LOT.

IT'S.

IT'S.

I THINK THE LAST I HEARD IS LIKE 18 DAYS OF SLAUGHTER HERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF HARVEST IN THE UNITED STATES.

BUT IT'S THE TIMING AND IT'S IT'S THE PRESS RELEASE, AND IT'S THE KNEE JERK REACTIONS THAT OUR BOARD OF TRADE DOES.

SO AFTER HE DID THAT, OUR MARKET FELL DRAMATICALLY.

WE LOST ALMOST.

CLOSE TO WHAT, WHAT WHAT CALVES ARE WORTH JULY 1ST TO WHAT THEY'RE WORTH TODAY IS ABOUT $600 A HEAD DIFFERENCE.

WHAT HE'S SAYING IS CALVES THAT WERE BOUGHT AND SOLD FOR AS MUCH AS $2,400, JUST A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, ARE NOW WORTH 600 SMACKEROOS LESS.

THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT THE IDEA WAS TO BRING DOWN BEEF PRICES TO CONSUMERS.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?

I DON'T I DON'T THINK YOU I DON'T THINK THAT'S IT'S GOING TO BRING IT DOWN MUCH AT ALL.

AND ACTUALLY, I SAW SOME NUMBERS THE OTHER DAY THAT YOU MIGHT SEE MAYBE $0.16 A POUND IS THE LAST NUMBERS THAT I HAD SEEN.

SCOTT BLUBAUGH IS PRESIDENT OF AMERICAN FARMERS AND RANCHERS, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND MORE THAN A CENTURY AND REPRESENTS 60,000 MEMBERS STATEWIDE.

WELL, IT WAS VERY DISHEARTENING, VERY SURPRISING TO A LOT OF US.

AND JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT, HE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY WERE OPENING UP THE MEXICAN BORDER TO LET LIVE CATTLE BACK INTO THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.

THAT HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE SCREWWORM INFESTATION IN MEXICO.

AND SO THE TWO PIECES OF NEWS JUST REALLY WREAKED HAVOC ON OUR LIVE CATTLE MARKET THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

AND A LOT OF OUR RANCHERS HERE IN OKLAHOMA LOST A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY VERY, VERY QUICKLY, HE SAYS.

THIS YEAR, OKLAHOMA FARMERS AND RANCHERS HAVE DEALT WITH HISTORIC DROUGHT, A LACK OF WATER, A LACK OF GRASS.

DIESEL FUEL HAS HOVERED AROUND $6 A GALLON, AND FERTILIZER COSTS ARE UP OVER 50%.

SO JUST IN THE FIRST 12 DAYS AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT, WE LOST $21 MILLION HERE IN JUST OKLAHOMA RANCHERS.

THAT'S MONEY TAKEN RIGHT OUT OF THE RANCHERS BACK POCKET.

THAT'LL NEVER BE IN THAT RURAL TOWN.

THAT'LL NEVER CIRCULATE IN THAT IN THE RURAL AREAS.

I'VE BEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE 12 YEARS, AND WE AS A STATE GOVERNMENT, AND I THINK WE AS A NATION AND WE AS A PEOPLE HAVE JUST TAKEN AGRICULTURE FOR GRANTED THAT IT'S JUST GOING TO BE THERE.

AND WE SAW THE FIRST OH MOMENT DURING COVID, WHEN PEOPLE WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE AND THE MEAT FREEZERS DISAPPEARED, DISAPPEARED.

THERE WASN'T MEAT THERE.

LAST WEEK, STATE LEADERS ANNOUNCED THEY WERE ALLOCATING AS MUCH AS $12 MILLION FOR AGRICULTURE PRODUCERS WHO ARE ABLE TO BUILD DROUGHT RELIEF PROJECTS.

I KNOW 12 MILLION SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF A LOT OF MONEY, AND IT IS A LOT OF MONEY.

BUT WHEN YOU CONSIDER HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO TO DOLE THAT OUT TO, IT REALLY IS NOT MUCH.

WHEN YOU WALK INTO A GROCERY STORE, IS BEEF REALLY TOO HIGH?

WHEN YOU CONSIDER LOOKING AT WHAT A BAG OF POTATO CHIPS COSTS?

A CANDY BAR, IS BEEF REALLY THAT MUCH HIGHER THAN A $3 SNICKERS BAR?

BUT IT IS NUTRITIONALLY A LOT BETTER FOR YOU.

WHAT DO YOU WANT THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO KNOW NOW ABOUT HOW YOU DOING?

YOU KNOW WE'RE DOING OKAY.

THE LORD HAS CONTINUED TO BLESS US.

HE'S CONTINUED TO TAKE CARE OF US.

WE WILL BE FINE.

WE'LL MAKE IT.

BUT IT IS TOUGH.

PRICES ARE INPUT, PRICES ARE GOING UP AND THE PRICE FOR OUR COMMODITIES ARE GOING DOWN.

SCOTT BLUBAUGH REPEATEDLY POINTED OUT THAT AMERICAN BEEF IS THE SAFEST FOOD SOURCE IN THE WORLD.

LETTING FOREIGN BEEF IN CAN BE PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW IF IT'S SAFE TO EAT.

RICH STEVE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT REPORT.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY MARKWAYNE MULLIN TOURED A NEW U.S.

CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES FACILITY IN EDMOND ON TUESDAY.

NOW, THIS IS NOT AN ICE DETENTION CENTER.

ITS PURPOSE IS TO CONDUCT IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS AND A VETTING PROCESS FOR THOSE WISHING TO BECOME U.S.

CITIZENS OR RECEIVE A GREEN CARD AND OTHER IMMIGRATION RELATED SERVICES.

SECRETARY MULLIN SAYS THE CENTER WILL HELP IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD AND SHOULDN'T BE HERE.

WE CANNOT HAVE A SECURE NATION IF WE DO NOT KNOW WHO'S IN THIS COUNTRY.

IF YOU JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S LEADERSHIP AS TRUMP 47, BECAUSE OF THE GOOD WORK THAT MEN AND WOMEN IN THIS BUILDING AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THROUGH DHS, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 2150 TERRORISTS THAT CAME INTO THIS COUNTRY UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME AND TAKEN ON A DIFFERENT IDENTITY, BECAUSE THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO IN THIS BUILDING, THROUGH THE FINGERPRINTING AND THROUGH THE VETTING, THROUGH THE BACKGROUND CHECKS, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE INDIVIDUALS THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THIS COUNTRY.

OKLAHOMA SENATOR JAMES LANKFORD, ALSO ATTENDING TUESDAY'S RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY.

DRIVERLESS CARS ARE A COMMON SIGHT IN MANY AMERICAN CITIES THESE DAYS.

SO CAN AUTONOMOUS AIRPLANES BE FAR BEHIND?

AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT DRONES.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLANES CARRYING PEOPLE TO THEIR DESTINATIONS.

TAELYR JACKSON WITNESSED A DEMONSTRATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY THIS WEEK, AND SHE JOINS US NOW.

TAELYR WELL, RICH, OKLAHOMA WAS ONE OF TEN STATES THAT GOT A CHANCE TO PREVIEW THE AUTONOMOUS PLANE.

WE SPOKE WITH AVIATION LEADERS IN THE STATE AND THE COMPANY BEHIND THE UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY.

WHO DOESN'T LOVE A LITTLE JET FUEL SMELL IN THE MORNING?

IF YOU'RE A LOVER OF AVIATION?

WRIGHT STATE LEGISLATORS AND LEADERS IN AVIATION GATHERED TUESDAY AT A HANGAR TO AT WILL ROGERS AIRPORT FOR AN EXCLUSIVE PEEK AT NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD ONE DAY BE USED AT AIRPORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT MOMENTS IN TIME, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE THE WRIGHT BROTHERS FIRST FLIGHT, YOU'VE GOT WORLD WAR TWO, YOU'VE GOT THE JET AGE, YOU'VE GOT THE SPACE RACE.

THIS IS ANOTHER MOMENT IN TIME THAT IS EQUAL TO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE AVIATION AEROSPACE INDUSTRY.

THIS IS OUR NEW MOMENT.

THIS IS THE MOMENT OF THIS GENERATION'S SPACE RACE.

THIS IS THE MOMENT OF, YOU KNOW, THE JET AGE FOR THIS GENERATION IN THE ERA THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS, I THINK, TO AVIATION AND AIR TRANSPORTATION.

THE COMPANY BEHIND ALL THE BUZZ IS CALIFORNIA BASED JOBY AVIATION, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 2009.

WE'RE STANDING AT THE DAWN OF THE NEXT 100 YEARS OF FLIGHT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I WILL TELL YOU, FIVE YEARS AGO, I WASN'T CONFIDENT THE US WAS GOING TO STAND UP AND LEAD.

I KNOW THAT, JOBY.

WE WERE PUSHING NEW CONCEPTS AND NEW VISIONS, BUT THE NATION'S WOKEN UP AS PART OF A SKY TOUR.

JOBY AIRCRAFTS ARE MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SKY TO VARIOUS CITIES TO SHOW OFF THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

JOBY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GREG BELL SAYS THEY ARE BUILDING THE NEXT ERA OF AVIATION, SO THAT INCLUDES THE ELECTRIC AIR TAXIS OR THE FLYING CARS THE WORLD HAS HEARD ABOUT AND WE'VE BEEN FLYING THOSE AROUND THE COUNTRY.

SERVICE WITH THOSE AIRCRAFT IS GOING TO START REALLY SOON.

THROUGH THE PRESIDENT'S IIP PROGRAM, THE EVTOL INTEGRATED PILOT PROGRAM.

BUT ADDITIONALLY, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY IS THE ABILITY TO START TO INTEGRATE AUTONOMY INTO THE AIRSPACE AND START MEANINGFUL WAYS.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SELECTED EIGHT PROJECTS THAT SPAN ACROSS 26 STATES, INCLUDING OKLAHOMA.

THE CONCEPTS BEING TESTED ARE URBAN AIR, TAXI SERVICES, CARGO AND LOGISTICS NETWORKS, MEDICAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATIONS, AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, AND ENERGY SECTOR TRANSPORTATION.

THE OKLAHOMA CITY STOP FEATURED AN AUTONOMOUS J 2008 CESSNA CARAVAN.

THIS AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN FLYING WITH DEPARTMENT OF WAR WITH IN CIVILIAN USE FOR YEARS, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE REALLY SHOWING HOW IT WORKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN A COAST TO COAST TO COAST TOUR.

AND THIS IS THE FINAL THIRD OF THAT JOURNEY, WHICH WILL BE OVER 5000 MILES OF INTEGRATION INTO EXISTING AIRPORTS, INTO THE EXISTING AIRSPACE, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR PILOT INTERVENTION AND REALLY SEAMLESS WITHOUT SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE.

THE AIRCRAFT NOT ONLY FLIES ITSELF, BUT IT HAS THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AS WELL.

WE'VE TAKEN THE BEST OF A PILOT AIRCRAFT AND THAT LEVEL OF SAFETY, AND WE'VE BUILT UPON IT WITH ADDITIONAL RELIABILITY AND ADDITIONAL SAFETY.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL RADIOS ON BOARD, THERE'S USUALLY A VHF RADIO AND A BACKUP.

SO THIS AIRCRAFT HAS MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNICATIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THIS AIRCRAFT HAS A LOT MORE RELIABILITY IN THE CONTROL SYSTEMS.

AND THE AIRCRAFT ACTUALLY BUILT IN A WAY TO HANDLE ITS OWN ABNORMAL PROCEDURES.

SO THE AIRCRAFT FLIES ALONG AND IT MAKES DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT IT'S SEEING.

SO WHEN IT'S CLEARED FOR LANDING, IT'S LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THE RUNWAY IS STILL CLEAR LIKE A PILOT WOULD.

BUT THE VISION SYSTEMS ON BOARD ARE A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE HUMAN EYE.

THE MAIN GOAL IS TO ONE DAY INTEGRATE THE TECHNOLOGY INTO NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEMS.

OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE AND AERONAUTICS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GRAYSON ARTIS SAYS INTEGRATION MUST BE DONE IN A SAFE MANNER WITHOUT DISRUPTING OPERATIONS.

AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF TESTING, A LOT OF RESEARCH, A LOT OF FAILING, AND THEN LEARNING FROM THAT FAILURE AND RETESTING AND MAKING SURE IT WORKS BETTER.

THE SECOND AND THIRD AND FOURTH AND FIFTH TIME AROUND.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IN THIS WHOLE ERA THAT WE'RE IN.

WE ARE JUST STARTING TO TOUCH THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THIS TECHNOLOGY.

SO MANUFACTURING OF THESE AIRCRAFT, THE ACTUAL END USERS, BEING ABLE TO FLY AND OPERATE IN THESE AIRCRAFT ON A LARGE SCALE IN THE ADVANCED MOBILITY SPHERE, THEN YOU TRANSITION INTO LIKE DRONES AND THE SMALLER UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM AREA SAFE OPERATIONS IN AVIATION RESEARCH LAB BRANCH MANAGER KATRINA AVERY SAYS THIS IS WHY RESEARCH IS SO IMPORTANT.

AND SOME OF THAT RESEARCH IS BEING DONE RIGHT HERE IN THE SOONER STATE.

RESEARCHERS ARE CURRENTLY STUDYING VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING.

OUR PLANNED RESEARCH AREAS INCLUDE VERTIPORT OPERATIONS, WAKE SEPARATION, DOWNWASH AND OUTWASH, RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE, AND OTHER FACTORS THAT HAVE TO BE UNDERSTOOD BEFORE OPERATIONS CAN BE SAFELY INTEGRATED INTO THE AIRSPACE AT SCALE.

THE FAA'S ROLE IS NOT SIMPLY TO EVALUATE A NEW AIRCRAFT IN ISOLATION.

SAFE INTEGRATION REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING HOW THE AIRCRAFT, THE OPERATORS, THE AUTOMATION, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEM AND THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT ALL INTERACT.

THAT BECOMES PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AS AVIATION MOVES TOWARDS HIGHER LEVELS OF AUTOMATION AND NEW OPERATING CONCEPTS LIKE WE WILL SEE DEMONSTRATED TODAY.

STATE LEADERS LIKE REPRESENTATIVE EMILY GEISE OF OKLAHOMA CITY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES ADVANCED AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY CAN BRING TO THE STATE.

I THINK THIS OPENS THE DOOR FOR SO MUCH INNOVATION TO FOLLOW.

I THINK WE NOW HAVE ONE OF THE PREMIER AUTONOMOUS SUPPLIERS OF AIRCRAFT, AND THIS IS GOING TO CREATE A TALENT PIPELINE HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

WE ALREADY HAVE THE PIPELINE ESTABLISHED.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT OKLAHOMA IS RANKED NUMBER ONE IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS PROVIDING AVIATION TRAINING.

AND SO WE'VE GOT THE TALENT HERE.

I JUST SPOKE TO A COUPLE SENIORS WHO HAVE SPENT FOUR YEARS STUDYING, AND THEY'RE READY TO STEP INTO THE DRONE.

THE UAS AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT CAREER.

AND SO FOR US TO HAVE JOBY HERE, I'M INCREDIBLY EXCITED.

I THINK SKY'S THE LIMIT AS FAR AS INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY.

JOBY WILL WRAP UP ITS ELECTRIC SKIES TOUR ON OCTOBER 3RD IN CONCORD, CALIFORNIA.

IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT, YOU CAN VISIT THE COMPANY'S WEBSITE.

OKAY, YOU FLY FIRST.

TAELYR LOOKS A LITTLE SCARY.

THE RECENT OVERDOSE DEATHS OF TWO UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE STUDENTS HAS IGNITED A NATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DRUG KRATOM, WHICH CAN HAVE OPIOID LIKE EFFECTS IN HIGH DOSES.

NOW, THE DRUG IS CURRENTLY LEGAL HERE IN OKLAHOMA, BUT SHOULD IT BE?

THAT'S THE TOPIC OF THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR SUSAN KUDO.

SUSAN, THANK YOU.

JOINING US FOR THIS CONVERSATION IS DOCTOR MICHELLE ROSS, THE PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST FOR INFUSED PARTNERS, AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE TIM TURNER OF KINTA, OKLAHOMA.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING WITH US.

AND REPRESENTATIVE TURNER IS JOINING US VIA ZOOM.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING KRATOM.

KRATOM, WHICH IS IT?

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER.

SURE.

SO KRATOM OR KRATOM IS A TREE THAT IS NATIVE TO SOUTHEAST ASIA.

IT'S BEEN USED FOR CENTURIES FOR CHRONIC PAIN.

TRADITIONALLY, LEAVES WERE CHEWED FOR ENERGY OR BOILED IN A TEA FOR PAIN RELIEF.

THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPOUNDS IN THIS PLANT.

THEY'RE CALLED ALKALOIDS.

SO CANNABIS, CANNABINOIDS AND KRATOM.

IT'S ALKALOIDS AND THERE'S OVER 50 OF THEM.

THE MOST ABUNDANT ONE IS CALLED MITRAGYNINE OR MITRAGYNINE.

AGAIN, ALL THESE WORDS HAVE DIFFERENT PRONUNCIATIONS DEPENDING ON WHAT PART OF THE WORLD YOU'RE IN.

BUT MITRAGYNINE IS A VERY WEAK STIMULATOR OF OPIOID RECEPTORS.

BUT THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER COMPOUNDS IN THERE.

AND THE MITRAGYNINE, WHEN YOU EAT, THE KRATOM IS METABOLIZED IN YOUR GUT AND YOUR LIVER INTO A COMPOUND KNOWN AS SEVEN HYDROXY MITRAGYNINE OR 708.

YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD THAT ON THE NEWS A LOT.

AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT LATER.

BUT THERE'S ALSO OTHER COMPOUNDS THAT THESE THINGS ARE METABOLIZED INTO.

IT'S VERY COMPLEX, BEAUTIFUL SYMPHONY OF DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS.

BUT THE 708 IS FURTHER METABOLIZED INTO A COMPOUND CALLED MITRAGYNINE PSEUDOINDOXYL AS WELL.

AND THAT'S ALSO A COMPOUND YOU CAN BUY.

SO IT'S VERY COMPLEX.

YOU DON'T NEED A PHD.

I DO NEED A PHD AND YOU HAVE ONE.

SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO SOME OF THOSE INGREDIENTS WHEN I TALKED TO REPRESENTATIVE TURNER.

BUT YOU KIND OF HAVE A STORY ABOUT YOU USED KRATOM.

YES.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE A BIT SURPRISED.

BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THERE IS MULTIPLE WAYS THAT PEOPLE DEAL WITH PAIN RELIEF, RIGHT?

SOME PEOPLE MAY USE MEDICAL CANNABIS FOR PAIN.

SOME PEOPLE ARE PRESCRIBED OPIOIDS.

SOME PEOPLE ARE PRESCRIBED GABAPENTINOIDS.

FOR ME, I REALLY FOUND RELIEF AND KRATOM.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH FIBROMYALGIA AFTER A MASSIVE PULMONARY EMBOLISM, AND I WAS TAPERED OFF MY OPIOIDS BY MY DOCTOR BECAUSE, OF COURSE, DOCTORS THINK THAT FULL AGONIST OPIOIDS CAN BE ADDICTIVE.

EVEN THOUGH I'M AN ADDICTION RESEARCHER, I WASN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE MY OPIOIDS FOR MY PAIN RELIEF.

AND I STRUGGLED.

AND I FINALLY FOUND SOMETHING THAT WORKED FOR ME THAT DIDN'T SEEM TO CAUSE ANY TYPE OF ADDICTION, ALTHOUGH I'VE NEVER HAD OPIOID USE DISORDER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT HELPED WITH ENERGY, IT HELPED WITH PAIN AND IT KEEPS ME CLEAR MINDED AND HELPS ME WITH A LOT OF THE SYMPTOMS.

THAT FIBROMYALGIA IS A VERY MESSY CONDITION.

REPRESENTATIVE, I WANT TO TURN TO YOU.

WE DISCUSSED EARLIER YOUR INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE IN KRATOM.

EXPLAIN YOUR BACKGROUND A LITTLE BIT TO THE FOLKS FIRST.

I GOT OVER 20 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT RUNNING DRUG AND VIOLENT CRIMES TASK FORCES.

COUNTY SHERIFF, OR TWO AND A HALF THERE IN HASKELL COUNTY BEFORE I BECOME A LEGISLATOR.

SO MY MY EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, WATCHING, YOU KNOW, WATCHING THESE FOLKS OVERDOSE FROM ADDICTION, WATCHING THE SYNTHETICS COME ABOUT, WHICH WAS BATH SALTS AND K2 AND NOW KRATOM.

AND JUST THE EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT OKLAHOMA, WHETHER IT BE STATE QUESTIONS BEING PASSED THAT CREATED MEDICAL MARIJUANA OR THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF THE OTHER CRIMES THAT WE'VE SEEN, SUCH AS METHAMPHETAMINE, COCAINE, HEROIN, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

WHY DOES KRATOM CONCERN YOU?

YOU'VE INTRODUCED YOU PLAN TO INTRODUCE A MEASURE TO ADDRESS THIS.

IS THAT CORRECT?

I DO, AND, YOU KNOW, THE REASON IT CONCERNS ME IS WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE OVERDOSE DEATHS.

SO THE MAJOR CONCERN THAT WE HAVE IS THE SIMPLE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS BACK WE HAD THE SYNTHETIC K2 AND THE BATH SALTS, AND WE HAD TO GET IN FRONT OF THOSE COMPOUNDS, WHICH WAS HUNDREDS OF COMPOUNDS THAT WE HAD TO GET IN FRONT OF THAT WAS CAUSING DEATHS AND MAJOR ISSUES IN OKLAHOMANS.

WELL, NOW WE'RE SEEING THESE COMPOUNDS RISE, AND ANOTHER SUBSTANCE, WHICH IS KRATOM, WHICH IS BEING SOLD IN GAS STATIONS BEING SOLD OVER THE COUNTER, BEING SOLD IN VENDING MACHINES.

THERE'S NO CONTROL OF THIS SUBSTANCE.

OUR YOUTH ARE GETTING AHOLD OF IT.

OUR YOUTH ARE OVERDOSING AND OUR YOUNG ADULTS ARE OVERDOSING AS WELL.

SO IT'S TIME THAT WE TRIED LAST YEAR WITH THE CREDIT PROTECTION ACT, SENATE BILL 891.

AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THE RISE IN THESE COMPOUNDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WITH THE DOCTOR SITTING THERE AND RESPECTFULLY.

BUT WHEN WE BREAK THE NATURAL SUBSTANCE DOWN, WE THEN CREATE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE DRYING IT OUT, WE'RE GRINDING IT UP.

NOW WE ARE STARTING THE SYNTHETIC, SYNTHESIZING A SUBSTANCE THAT, LIKE SHE SAID EARLIER, A LEAF SHOULD BE MADE.

THEY WOULD CHEW ON THEM.

THEY WOULD BOIL THEM.

IF WE WANT TO GO BACK TO THE NATURAL WAY OF DOING IT, WHICH IS A NATURAL HERB, THAT'S ONE THING.

BUT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT IN OKLAHOMA.

WE'RE PROFITING OFF OF THIS.

WHAT WOULD YOUR WHAT WOULD YOUR BILL DO?

AND I'LL COME BACK TO YOU IN A MOMENT, DOCTOR.

MY BILL SIMPLY SAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ALL OF THESE ALL THESE COMPOUNDS OF SCHEDULE ONE, WHICH SHOULD BE 708, MGM 15, MGM 16.

AND ACTUALLY, I'VE EVEN STEPPED OUT AND I AM GOING TO ALL 50 STATES AND LOOKING AT TOXICOLOGY REPORTS OF ALL OVERDOSE DEATHS.

SO WE CAN GET A COMBINED TOTAL OF EVERY COMPOUND THAT WE'RE SEEING AND BRING THOSE COMPOUNDS IN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ONE BILL THAT OUTLINES ALL THE COMPOUNDS.

NOW, YOU KNOW, DOCTOR SAID WHILE AGO, ABOUT 708, YOU KNOW, I WOULD I WOULD ALMOST ARGUE THAT IF YOU TESTED A NATURAL KRATOM LEAF, YOU'RE GOING TO WIND UP SEEING A TRACE OF 708 IN THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THERE BEFORE IT STARTS BREAKING DOWN.

SO.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

REPRESENTATIVE, I WANT TO TURN TO YOU ON THAT SCHEDULE.

ONE, I LOOKED UP THE SCHEDULES.

I'VE ALWAYS HEARD SCHEDULE ONE, AND THAT'S THE WORST ONE.

THAT'S THE EXTENT OF MY KNOWLEDGE ON THE SCHEDULE.

SO I LOOKED IT UP AND IT SAYS THAT THEY HAVE A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE AND NO, ARE NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTED MEDICAL USE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR PRESCRIPTION USE.

SO IF IT'S SCHEDULE ONE TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING, WOULD IT NOT EVEN BE AVAILABLE IN PRESCRIPTION USE?

THAT IS CORRECT.

IT ALSO WOULD BE A HUGE HURDLE FOR RESEARCHERS TO BE ABLE TO STUDY THE COMPOUND.

AND FOR EXAMPLE, 700 H ACTUALLY HAS THERAPEUTIC BENEFIT FOR HER2 POSITIVE BREAST CANCER.

AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THAT, YES, YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP IT OFF THE THE COUNTERS.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE IT IN GAS STATIONS IF YOU MAKE SOMETHING SCHEDULE ONE, BUT YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO CRIMINALIZE PEOPLE THAT CURRENTLY USE IT.

AND THE NUMBERS HERE, IT'S IMPORTANT.

I KNOW WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE DEATHS, RIGHT, EVERY SINGLE DEATH IS A TRAGEDY, BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE TAKING KRATOM IN OKLAHOMA.

SO THE ESTIMATED AMOUNTS FOR KRATOM USERS IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES IS ABOUT 20 MILLION.

AND THAT WAS A 2024 ESTIMATE IN OKLAHOMA.

THAT COMES OUT TO ABOUT 240,000 KRATOM CONSUMERS.

AND SO IF YOU CRIMINALIZE ANY PORTION OF THIS, THOSE CONSUMERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO MANAGE THEIR PAIN OR MANAGE THEIR OPIOID USE RECOVERY.

AND THAT MIGHT BE GOING TO THE ILLICIT MARKET WHERE THEY MIGHT OVERDOSE ON FENTANYL, FOR EXAMPLE.

SO WE HAVE TO ALWAYS BALANCE THE THE PUBLIC SAFETY BENEFITS WITH THE RISKS OF WHAT LAW WE'RE PROPOSING.

AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY SOME FINE PRINT HERE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK OF.

REPRESENTATIVE TURNER, WHEN YOU CRAFT YOUR BILL IS THAT IF YOU SCHEDULE ONE, THE 7 OR 8 COMPONENT.

YES.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF IT IN THE PLANT, BUT TECHNICALLY BY THE LETTER OF THE LAW, THAT WOULD MAKE ALL KRATOM, ALL THE POWDER, THE CAPSULES, THE TRADITIONAL FORM OF IT, A SCHEDULE ONE DRUG.

AND SO THERE MIGHT HAVE TO BE LIMITATIONS ON OR, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME KIND OF LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT PROTECTS THE NATURAL LEAF IF YOU WANT TO.

BUT COMING BACK TO YOUR POINT ABOUT IT BEING, YOU KNOW, IT CAN'T EVEN BE A PHARMACEUTICAL, THERE IS A PHARMACEUTICAL VERSION OF KRATOM BEING INTRODUCED RIGHT NOW.

IT'S CALLED MG001.

IT'S A MITRAGYNINE EXTRACT.

SO NOTHING ELSE IN THE KRATOM PLANT IS SET FOR THAT MITRAGYNINE, WHICH BY THE WAY, WHEN IT GOES IN YOUR BODY IS CONVERTED AT 708.

SO THERE IS SOME RESEARCH, THERE ARE SOME CLINICAL TRIALS.

THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH ON KRATOM.

THERE'S NOT REALLY A LOT OF RESEARCH ON SEVEN.

OH, BUT THESE COMPOUNDS ALL HAVE SOME KIND OF MEDICAL USE.

IT'S JUST OUR COUNTRY AND OUR LAWS REALLY SAY IF IT'S NOT A PHARMACEUTICAL, BASICALLY IT SHOULD BE BANNED.

IS IT ADDICTIVE?

SO IT IS HABIT FORMING.

AND LIKE ANY OTHER COMPOUND, KRATOM AND SPECIFICALLY THESE ALKALOIDS, THE FREQUENCY OF USE, THE DOSE THAT YOU'RE USING, THE FORMULATION, SOME FORMULATIONS ARE RISKIER THAN OTHERS, RIGHT?

IF YOU'RE VAPING KRATOM PRODUCT, THAT'S NOT THE NATURAL FORM THAT'S MORE ADDICTIVE.

THESE ALKALOIDS THAT ARE MUCH STRONGER AT THE MU OPIOID RECEPTOR CAN BE MORE ADDICTIVE THAN TAKING THE FULL SPECTRUM NATURAL PLANT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE BALANCED AND LESS ADDICTIVE.

SO IT'S A SORT OF A SCALE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.

AND I WANT TO SAY THAT IN ALL OF THESE KRATOM PRODUCTS ARE EQUAL, RIGHT?

YOU'VE GOT THE LEAF, YOU'VE GOT EXTRACTS THAT CAN BE YOU COULD BE TAKING KRATOM SHOTS, YOU'D BE EATING KRATOM GUMMIES THAT ARE CONCENTRATED, YOU'D BE EATING TABLETS THAT ARE JUST THE 708 OR NEW COMPOUNDS THAT THEY HOOKED UP.

LIKE REPRESENTATIVE TURNER WAS SAYING, IT WAS LIKE SORT OF LIKE THESE SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS, THEY'RE MAKING SYNTHETIC KRATOM ALKALOIDS THAT DON'T EXIST IN NATURE, THAT ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND PEOPLE ARE DYING OF.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE I WROTE A BOOK CALLED KRATOM AS MEDICINE, THAT I'M, I'M FOR ALL THESE KRATOM COMPOUNDS.

I'M FOR SAFETY, I'M FOR TESTING.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IS BEING CREATED THAT WASN'T TESTED AND IS KILLING PEOPLE, THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OFF THE STREETS IMMEDIATELY, AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, YOU KNOW, MAKING THESE PRODUCTS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

WELL, I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO REPRESENTATIVE TURNER ABOUT WHAT WAS JUST MENTIONED AND ABOUT THE SCHEDULES.

REPRESENTATIVE, WOULD THERE BE ANY ROOM FOR MAYBE A SCHEDULE TWO CONSIDERATION?

YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE I'M NOT I'M NOT INTERESTED IN SCHEDULE TWO AT THIS POINT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON AS I'M GOING TO PUT A WORKING GROUP TOGETHER.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GO BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT TO WHAT DOCTOR SAID IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW LONG KRATOM HAS BEEN AROUND AND WE TALK ABOUT TESTING, WE TALK ABOUT RESEARCH.

I MEAN, WE, IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

SO WHERE'S OUR TESTING?

WHERE'S OUR RESEARCH AT TO SHOW THAT IT HAS A MEDICAL NEED?

IF IT HAD A MEDICAL NEED, THE FDA WOULD ALREADY APPROVED IT.

IF IT HAD A MEDICAL NEED, WE WOULD BE WAY ADVANCED OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE THE ADDICTIVE QUALITIES OF IT.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT IS IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY HAS A MEDICAL NEED AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS THAT IS GOOD FOR THE BODY, THEN HOW DO WE HAVE ADDICTIVE.

HOW DOES IT HAVE ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES IN IT THAT MAKES PEOPLE WANT TO CONTINUE TO USE IT?

I HAD A GUY JUST THE OTHER DAY THAT I'M VERY GOOD FRIENDS WITH, WHO WAS SPENDING $3,000 A MONTH AND HAD TO GO ON SUBOXONE 12MG A DAY TO GET OFF OF KRATOM.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT PEOPLE HAVE USING IT, I MEAN, I'LL SAY THIS, EVERYBODY CAN HAVE A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE AS LONG AS THEY MAINTAIN SOMETHING THAT IS NATURAL, AS LONG AS THEY MAINTAIN SOMETHING THAT'S HEALTHY.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY SEEING THESE FOLKS OVERDOSE AND WE'RE CONTINUING NOT JUST ON DEATHS, BUT WE'RE WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE OVERDOSE DAILY FROM KRATOM.

AND AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY THIS, IF YOU WANT TO USE THE NATURAL LEAF, WHICH WILL TURN INTO 7 OR 8 ONCE YOU USE IT, THEN IT WOULDN'T BE ILLEGAL UP FRONT BECAUSE 708 WOULD NOT BE IN THE SYSTEM.

BUT ONCE YOU BREAK IT DOWN, ONCE YOU CHANGE THE QUALITY OF THE ORIGINAL SIDE OF IT, NOW YOU'RE MANIPULATING WHAT THE PLANT IS ORIGINALLY IS ORIGINALLY FORMED TO BE.

SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU'D BE OKAY WITH THE NATURAL LEAF?

I'M OKAY WITH THE NATURAL LEAF BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE THE NATURAL LEAF, ONCE YOU GET YOUR SUBSTANCE OUT OF IT, IF IT'S FROM BULLYING.

BULLYING IT OR EATING ON IT, CHEWING ON IT, YOU'RE NOT CHANGING THE COMPOUND OF WHAT A NATURAL LEAF WOULD BE BE NO DIFFERENT THAN GOING AND GETTING A LEAF OFF A TREE.

OKAY, SO, REPRESENTATIVE TURNER, I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT UNDER YOUR YOUR SUGGESTED LAW, YOU'D BE TARGETING CERTAIN COMPOUNDS LIKE 708.

AND OF COURSE, AGAIN, I SUPPORT MGM 15 BEING BANNED.

THAT'S WHAT IS ACTUALLY THE CAUSE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE OKLAHOMA DEATHS.

I HAVE ACTUALLY REVIEWED MOST OF THE TOXICOLOGY CASES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL.

BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO NOT REGULATING THE KRATOM PRODUCTS OR THE KRATOM EXTRACTS OR THE MITRAGYNINE ALKALOID PRODUCTS OUT THERE, SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET AROUND THE 708 BANS BY NOT EVEN MANIPULATING THE KRATOM PLANT INTO THE DERIVATIVES LIKE YOU'RE TARGETING.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY INCREASING THE DOSAGE OF MITRAGYNINE IN THERE.

BECAUSE MITRAGYNINE CONVERTS INTO 708, YOU CAN HAVE A PRODUCT THAT IS VERY HIGH DOSE MITRAGYNINE, AND SOME OF THESE PRODUCTS HAVE 200MG OF MITRAGYNINE IN THEM.

AND THAT CAN BE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY CAUSE A HEART ATTACK IN SOME PEOPLE.

AND SOME PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY DYING.

THERE'S BEEN LAWSUITS.

SO, YOU KNOW, TARGETING A COMPOUND VERSUS UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEX PHARMACOLOGY OF IT IS SOMETIMES A MISTAKE.

BUT I ALSO THINK THIS RIGHT HERE, I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

THERE HAS BEEN NO SHOWN MEDICAL USE FOR THE FDA ON KRATOM.

AND IF I HAVE A QUESTION, THERE'S NOT ANY I HAVE A QUESTION.

IF THE FDA WHY IS IT SO AVAILABLE AT EVERY CONVENIENCE STORE?

I MEAN, JUST LIKE SODA POP, EVERYBODY SEES YOU.

YOU CAN MAKE A DOLLAR ON IT.

YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IT IN A CONVENIENCE STORE TO MAKE A DOLLAR.

I MEAN, KRATOM HAS BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE VIETNAM VETERANS BROUGHT IT OVER THE 1970S.

OF COURSE, IT WASN'T REALLY COMMERCIALIZED UNTIL THE 20 TENS.

AND IT WAS A VERY BITTER POWDER.

RIGHT.

YOU HAVE TO MIX IT INTO A DRINK, YOUR COFFEE.

AND IT'S STILL IT WAS SORT OF GROSS TO TAKE.

AND THEN IT WAS PUT INTO CAPSULES.

AND THEN THEY STARTED INNOVATING JUST LIKE THEY DID WITH CANNABIS, WHERE NOW YOU HAVE KRATOM EXTRACT SODAS AND GUMMIES AND IT'S EASIER TO TAKE AT THE SAME TIME.

WE HAD THIS, YOU KNOW, FORCED TAPERING OF OPIOIDS.

SO CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS WERE LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO DEAL WITH THEIR PAIN.

AND SO THEY WERE INTRODUCED TO KRATOM.

THEY WERE INTRODUCED TO THESE GUMMIES AND SODAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU SAW AN EXPLOSION FROM JUST A COUPLE PEOPLE USING THIS TO 3 MILLION PEOPLE USING THIS AROUND 2016 TO 20 MILLION PEOPLE IN AMERICA TODAY.

BUT WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS I WANT TO POINT SOMETHING OUT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IS WHEN WE HAD THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN THE UNITED STATES, WE SAID, LET'S GO TO MARIJUANA BECAUSE MARIJUANA IS GOING TO HEAL THE PAIN.

SO OKLAHOMA PASSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA, WHICH IS THE MOST RECREATIONAL STATUTE IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE SUPPLY MORE BLACK MARKET MARIJUANA TO ANY STATE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

BUT NOW WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, HEY, MARIJUANA IS NOT WORKING TO CURE THE PAIN.

SO LET'S GO TO ANOTHER PRODUCT.

LET'S PUT ANOTHER DRUG ON THE STREET, AND LET'S GIVE OUR YOUTH SOMETHING ELSE TO BECOME ADDICTED TO.

WELL, I THINK THAT REGULATIONS CAN HELP PROTECT OUR YOUTH.

RIGHT NOW KRATOM IN OKLAHOMA IS 18 PLUS.

IT'S NOT 21 PLUS IN OTHER STATES ACTUALLY HAVE IT REGULATED AT THAT LEVEL.

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE WAY THAT WE PREVENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COLLEGE KIDS FROM ACCESSING IT.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE COLLEGE KIDS OVER THE AGE OF 21 THAT CAN STILL ACCESS IT.

BUT MOST OF THE ISSUES WITH OVERDOSES, WITH DEATHS, UNFORTUNATELY, HAVE BEEN WITH YOUTH.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT EDUCATED.

THEY'RE HEARING, OH, THIS IS SOMETHING I CAN GET A LEGAL HIGH FROM.

RIGHT.

AND THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING, SAY, MIXING ALCOHOL.

PLUS ANY KRATOM PRODUCT COULD RESULT IN DEATH.

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO COMBINE OPIOIDS AND ALCOHOL.

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO COMBINE BENZODIAZEPINES AND ALCOHOL.

AND YET THEY JUST DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER.

AND THAT IS A HUGE PROBLEM.

AND SO I THINK AGE GATING IS JUST ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP PROTECT THE YOUTH FROM THESE UNFORTUNATE TRAGEDIES.

THIS IS NOT THE END OF THIS DISCUSSION, I'M SURE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, DOCTOR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU SUSAN.

WE'LL SAY SO LONG FOR NOW WITH A LOOK AT THE PUMPKIN DISPLAYS AT OKLAHOMA CITY'S MYRIAD GARDENS PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA LEVI WILKERSON.

FOR ALL OF US WHO PLAY A ROLE IN PUTTING THIS NEWSCAST ON THE AIR EACH WEEK, I'M RICH LENZ.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND.

MANY SIGHTS TO SEE.

AND WHEN I LOOK IN MY WINDOW.

SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO BE THAT.

IT'S STRANGE.

SO STRANGE.

YOU GOT TO PICK UP EVERY STITCH.

YOU GOT TO PICK UP EVERY STITCH.

YOU GOT TO PICK UP EVERY STITCH.

MUST BE THE SEASON OF THE WEEK.

I WAS 17 WHEN WE FORMED THE ART GROUP.

WE DEVELOPED, EVOLVED.

WE LEARNED TOGETHER.

A WAY OF POSSIBLY GETTING MY REVENGE WOULD BE THROUGH ART.