Nebraska’s Attorney General and former Governor are urging state lawmakers to halt efforts to adopt a pair of citizen-initiated measures regulating the possession, use, and production of medical cannabis. Some 70 percent of Nebraska voters approved the measures on election day.
Writing in an op-ed, AG Mike Hilgers and former Governor (now US Senator) Pete Ricketts called on lawmakers to ignore the voters’ will. “The legislature has no duty to act now,” they wrote. “In fact, there are plenty of reasons to not act at all.”
The duo opined that cannabis is “harmful, easily abused, and is not safe to consume even under medical supervision.” Ricketts, a longtime opponent of marijuana policy reform, has previously alleged: “If you legalize marijuana, you’re gonna kill your kids. That’s what the data shows from around the country.”
During public hearings yesterday, a representative from the AG’s office warned that the state would consider filing a lawsuit if regulators moved forward with licensing medical cannabis providers, arguing that such actions are inconsistent with federal law. Opponents of the law have already filed a pair of lawsuits seeking to nullify the election outcome.
On Monday, lawmakers also heard testimony regarding legislation, LB 483, repealing patients’ access to botanical cannabis. NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano provided testimony against the bill, stating: “Elections have consequences. Nebraskans have made it clear that they want patients to have regulated access to botanical cannabis. Lawmakers must respect their vote.”
He added: “LB 483 is undemocratic; it is also bad public policy. … Many patients seeking rapid relief of symptoms such as pain, nausea, or spasticity will suffer by having their access limited solely to cannabis pills and other oral formulations,” which are far slower to take effect.
In total, more than 300 witnesses testified against the bill.
Lawmakers on Monday also deliberated over separate bills providing further clarity for regulating medical cannabis access. Those efforts were supported by initiative proponents Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, who held a rally at the state capitol yesterday morning during which they criticized the former Governor’s efforts.
“The individuals who are continuing to be opposed are absolutely disregarding the fact that 71 percent of people in this state support safe and regulated medical cannabis,” said Campaign Manager Crista Eggers. “And I would ask them to take a look at any state that has legalized medical cannabis and I’d like them to see that their arguments hold no weight.”
Ultimately, lawmakers did not take votes yesterday on any of the marijuana-related bills.
NORML’s Armentano warned that elected officials’ efforts in Nebraska to undermine voters’ decisions is consistent with Republican-led efforts in several other states, including Ohio, where Senate lawmakers recently voted in favor of GOP-backed legislation rescinding much of the state’s voter-approved legalization law and recriminalizing many marijuana-related activities. Separate legislation introduced earlier this year in South Dakota that sought to repeal the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis law failed by a single vote.
“In a healthy democracy, those with competing visions on public policy vie for voters’ support and abide by their voting decisions. However, it is becoming clear that those who oppose marijuana policy reform would rather take voters out of the equation altogether,” Armentano said. “Whether or not one personally supports or opposes cannabis legalization, these cynical and undemocratic tactics ought to be a cause of deep concern.”
A state-by-state guide to pending marijuana legislation is available from NORML’s Take Action Center.
