Nebraska

Nebraska’s two medical cannabis initiatives — one seeking to legalize medical cannabis and another to establish a regulated medical cannabis marketplace — were approved on Tuesday with 71% and 67% voter support, respectively. There remains a legal challenge to the initiatives, however, that could stymie the results.

Nebraska officials will count votes for and against the state’s medical cannabis legalization bid this week and will publish the results despite an ongoing legal challenge disputing the campaign’s petition signature-gathering process.

The trial over Nebraska’s two medical cannabis ballot initiatives began Tuesday after state officials challenged the proposals’ signature-gathering process. The initiatives, which together seek to legalize medical cannabis, will remain on state ballots but, depending on the trial, could be invalidated even if approved by voters.

Nebraska officials are questioning the validity of more than half of the already-validated signatures on the state’s petitions to legalize medical cannabis; advocates say the approach is “working to silence and disenfranchise” Nebraska citizens.

A judge in Lancaster County, Nebraska is allowing parts of a lawsuit that challenges the state’s two petitions to legalize medical cannabis to move forward.

A former Nebraska state senator has filed a lawsuit to invalidate two medical cannabis petitions — one to legalize medical cannabis and one to regulate the industry — that were approved for November ballots earlier this month.

Nebraska’s secretary of state said the state’s campaigns to legalize and regulate medical cannabis have qualified for the November ballot.

Nebraska cannabis advocates have submitted more than 114,000 signatures for their petition to legalize medical cannabis in the state.

Cannabis advocates in Nebraska are making the state’s third attempt to legalize medical cannabis via a voter ballot initiative.

Cannabis advocates in Nebraska have filed the paperwork for a petition drive seeking to put a medical cannabis legalization question on the state’s 2024 ballot.

The campaigns to legalize medical cannabis in Nebraska weren’t able to collect enough signatures to qualify for November election ballots, but state Sen. Jen Day (D) said she would introduce legalization legislation in the next session.

Nebraska medical cannabis advocates have turned in two petitions exceeding the 87,000-signature threshold for putting medical cannabis reforms on the ballot.

A new survey revealed that 83% of Nebraskans supported the legalization of medical cannabis in 2021 and 2022. 

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana filed a lawsuit against the state’s ballot initiative process which requires signatures from 5% of registered voters in 38 counties, a rule that gives disproportionate power to rural voters.

A medical cannabis proposal in Nebraska labeled as “poison pill” legislation by activists seeks to legalize dispensaries but provides no legal means of cultivating cannabis for commercial purposes.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Rickets recently appeared in an anti-medical cannabis ad claiming that the plant is not medicinal and that the medical cannabis movement is a backdoor for adult-use reforms.

The Nebraska Cannabis Association, launched last week, is the state’s first organization dedicated to lobbying for cannabis policy, advising on regulations, and supporting cannabis industry entrepreneurs.

Cannabis advocates in Nebraska are planning two new initiatives to legalize medical cannabis in the latest attempt to pass cannabis reforms in the state.

Nebraska’s Secretary of State gave final approval for Legal Marijuana Now to become an official political party in the state.

Nebraska’s Legislative Judiciary Committee has advanced legislation to establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program in the state, setting the bill up for a floor vote.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) went full Reefer Madness in his remarks on legalization during a press conference last week, saying “If you legalize marijuana, you’re gonna kill your kids.”

A Nebraska state senator has proposed a measure that would let voters decide whether or not to legalize cannabis via a constitutional amendment in 2022.

Nebraska State Sen. Anna Wishart says she is crafting adult-use legalization language that will be added to a medical cannabis legalization initiative planned for 2022.