There will be no protections enshrined in Nebraska state law this year for medical practitioners who recommend patients to the state’s medical cannabis program after cannabis opponents stymied legislation by state Sen. John Cavanaugh (R), NTV reports.
Lawmakers voted to approve the proposal during early consideration. However, in subsequent discussions, medical cannabis opponents disrupted the bill with amendments seeking to change the purpose of the proposal.
With the added amendments, Cavanaugh ultimately pulled the bill from consideration, noting that “This bill no longer serves the goal of ensuring that kids get access to medicine.”
“Any of the amendments that have been filed on that bill are hostile and an attempt to hijack that bill and go against the will of the voters.” — Cavanaugh, via NTV
Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved the state’s medical cannabis program in 2024, but the rollout has been slow and, for many advocates, disappointing.
Crista Eggers of the Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign told KETV, “If there are no practitioners, there are no patients in this program.”
“What seems to be the goal of this is to make sure Nebraska never has a functioning program,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Nebraska Legislature last week approved the state’s first piece of legislation related to the medical cannabis program. That bill will allow the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission to set new industry fees and raise revenue.
