Nebraska Gov. on Medical Cannabis: “It’s Not Medicine”

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) is featured in an anti-medical cannabis ad paid for by an affiliate of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), a leading national cannabis prohibitionist group, Marijuana Moment reports. In the 30-second ad, underwritten by SAM Nebraska, the governor argues that cannabis has no medical value and the medical cannabis movement is simply a backdoor to adult-use cannabis in Nebraska. The move appears to be the governor’s effort against a pair of medical cannabis initiatives being circulated in the state.

“The only difference between medical marijuana and recreational marijuana is word choice. Doctors can’t prescribe it and pharmacists can’t provide it because it’s not medicine.” – Ricketts in the ad

The comments in the ad are less inflammatory than his statement in May when he said legalizing medical cannabis would “kill your kids” and it was a “dangerous drug.” However, in the new ad, he does make similarly sweeping statements.

“Today the marijuana industry has set its sights on Nebraska. And the real goal is the legalization of recreational marijuana across the state,” he said. “We’ve seen what happens when progressive politics trump science and common sense. That can’t happen. It’s up to us to protect our kids and defend our communities. Big Marijuana’s way is the wrong way for Nebraska.”

Nebraska is one of only two U.S. states that remain without medical or adult-use cannabis reforms.

The comments come as Nebraskan’s for Medical Cannabis has two initiatives in play for the 2022 ballot, cannabis reform is gaining popularity in the state legislature, and the “Legal Marijuana Now” political party has taken root in the state. And finally, the Nebraska Cannabis Association was recently formed to lobby for updating the state’s cannabis laws.