Proponents of legalization of marijuana lost a battle this month when they came up way short on their latest petition drive.

Oklahoma Secretary of State James Williamson completed the counting of signatures for a state question that would ask voters to put the right to medical marijuana in the State Constitution. They counted a total of 95,176 for proposed State Question 796. The initiative required 123,725 signatures to be put on the ballot. That is 15 percent of 824,831, the total number of ballots cast in the 2014 gubernatorial election.

Oklahomans passed a state law permitting medical use of marijuana but this petition would have embedded it in the Constitution.

Here is the bottom line. Many Oklahomans voted for the medical marijuana bill without realizing how many doors it opened to abuse. The liberal news media convinced voters it was limited in scope when it was not.

This failed petition was just another attempt to fully legalize recreational use of marijuana.

Even though the one measure passed, it is still against federal law to grow and possess the drug.

Oklahoma State University and The University of Oklahoma have pointed out that marijuana – even for medical purposes – is still illegal under federal law and they have banned it from the campuses. If they didn’t do this, it could jeopardize some federal funding.

So, don’t try to bring your “medical marijuana” joints to an OU or OSU football game this fall.

Marijuana is dangerous. It does a lot more harm than good. It is particularly damaging to young people. It is a proven gateway drug to stronger drug abuse.

Legalizing marijuana should not be a part of the Oklahoma Constitution.