So, a traditionally prohibitionist state, which recently legalized the good herb for medicinal purposes, is facing tons of backlash and pressure amid recent controversy. Nebraska voters approved medical herb back in 2024, but as of today, nothing is rolled out. The program is still not operational. On top of that, Nebraska’s cannabis commission is going crazy with wild regulations, including plant production limits. And now things are heating up even more after an Omaha tribe became the first in Nebraska to legalize the good herb. And officials are threatening to prosecute people who buy herb on the tribal reservation and even calling it poison. First Alert 6 continues to press local officials about medical. Our Bella Karaka joins us live in the studio with the latest developments since her investigation last night about confusion over the new laws. Bella John Aaron, when I spoke with Omaha police and the city prosecutor’s office last week, they had nothing new to offer about what they’re going to do if someone if they come across someone with medical marijuana and a written recommendation from a healthc care practitioner. So, as you guys can see, since the roll out of medical herb in Nebraska, it’s been a bit of a problem. It seems like no one knows what’s really happening and the official program has not been rolled out yet. And on top of that, the new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission only met for the first time about five months ago. Have a look. A new state board springs to life today. It’s the Medical Cannabis Commission. Well, during the legislative session, there were many failed attempts to create guard rails to regulate medical marijuana. Now, the panel will have to chart its own course. A new state body born today, but it won’t have any time to take baby steps. The clock is ticking as that 1st of July deadline approaches. That’s when medical marijuana regulations are supposed to be in place. And the commission says they’ll work hard on making sure they stay on track. Murkiness reigns as the inaugural after the inaugural meeting of the state’s medical cannabis commission. That’s the group that came into being after more than twothirds of voters approved of legalizing and regulating medical marijuana. The team spent less than an hour covering the ground rules and planning for how they’ll meet the tight deadlines ahead. And it all has to happen on a shoestring budget, $30,000 allotted to the commission, but that money can only be used for staffing. We’re told they could borrow additional funds from the Liquor Control Commission. So, the Nebraska Cannabis Commission only met for the first time 5 months ago, and that’s one month before these regulations were supposed to be put into place. So, it really begs the question, what the heck is happening? And it seems to me that a lot of focus is being placed on the wrong things because instead of getting the program set up, operational, and rolled out, they’re focusing on limiting plant production instead. Check it out. Less than a month until the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission is required to start handing out licenses. Nebraska Governor Jim Pan is requiring changes of the commission. Pan wants a limit on the number of plants to be grown in the state. After an emergency meeting Monday, the commission voted in favor of setting that limit at,250 plants at a time at any one business. Before Pillan’s demand, commission members had made it clear that they did not intend to set a limit. The cannabis commission’s next meeting is scheduled for September 30th. So you guys can already see where this is heading. Regulation, regulation, and regulation. And in a situation where the cannabis commission is being pressured by the governor to put in place some of these restrictions, you guys can already see that’s a prescription for trouble. And according to this next clip, they’re saying it’s life or death for many folks. And for that reason, they’re going to be setting more regulations. We begin at 6 with the latest in the effort to legalize medical marijuana in the state of Nebraska. The clock is ticking for the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission. October 1st is when that group needs to start approving licenses to cultivate and sell medical marijuana products. So, they met today to talk about that and new regulations. It was the first meeting with all five medical cannabis commission members in attendance and the first with clear dissent in their ranks, disagreements over the allowance of vapes. Basically, vaping effects within 1 to 3 minutes. Everybody says vaping is not medicine. And if we have alternatives that are safer, like a tincture that also sublingual, that’s very fast, I don’t know why we would go to something with all these potential side effects. Commissioner Bruce Bailey pushed for more cannabis cultivator licenses across the state after the initial regulations called for just two. I can’t imagine buying a farm and telling me I can’t grow corn because my neighbors growing it. So, you need to look at that and and let the market bear what’s going to happen. you won’t grow more than you can sell. So guys, when it comes to the Nebraska Cannabis Commission, there’s a lot of issues that they need to iron out in particular for this medical program to be rolled out properly. And as you guys would have heard in that last clip last month, the commission was tasked with rolling out some of those first licenses and thankfully they did. Have a look. Nearly a week past the initial deadline, the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission has issued the state’s first cultivator licenses. Four licenses are allowed in the state. The Nebraska Examiner reports the first two licenses were issued Tuesday, one in Omaha, the other in Raymond. This comes despite reports that Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilders would sue the commission if licenses were issued. I reached out to Hilder’s office Wednesday about where this stands. They had no comment. Last week, Christa Edgars with Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana told me there’s a lack of listening to what Nebraskans voted for. I feel very certain that we are going to face uh huge huge obstacles with patients actually getting their medicine and that is not what voters intended. They were very very clear in their mandate and that’s a running theme that we see across multiple states. Voters make their voices clear. They make their voices heard and they make what they want abundantly clear. The people want legalization whether it’s medical or wreck. If they have a choice, they’re going to make their voices clear. And now we’re seeing situations where the governor is actually trying to sue the commission for issuing these licenses. I mean, make it make sense. And on top of all of that, as a result of pressure from the governor, the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission passed emergency regulations, which the governor then signed. Have a look. New at 4:30, a local commission presenting the regulations for medical cannabis in Nebraska. This coming from a hearing today with Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission. Comments from the public on how medical marijuana should be regulated. A trove of regulations were considered, including restricting judicial districts to only one dispensary, adding a side effects label, and who can qualify for the license. I do have concerns that in the future litigation could be brought uh specifically because it is violating what the people passed. More news now on a story we have been closely following. Nebraska Governor Jim Pan approves a new batch of emergency regulations from the Medical Cannabis Commission. Those rules have medical marijuana advocates sounding the alarm because of their limits on the supply chain. KV News Watch 7’s Capital Bureau Chief John Grinvalds has the details. Governor Jim Pan’s signature on a new slate of regulations. What some are saying is the death nail of medical marijuana in Nebraska. the nail in the coffin on a medical program ever getting started to where patients will see real access in the state. A spokesperson with Panin’s office said in part in a release, quote, the governor had asked the commission to consider such a limitation to ensure that an excess of cannabis production would not lead to an unregulated and unintended black market supply. Christa Edgars had led the fight to get medical cannabis in front of voters for years. And she says this is another knock against what 71% of them approved. To see the will of the people completely disregarded and tossed aside in the creation of these rules and regulations. Um there’s really no words. The commission decided last week to limit the total amount of cannabis cultivators in the state to four. And this Monday they capped the amount of flowering plants they could have to,250 each. So 5,000 total plants for an estimated patient population of 20,000. I believe is going to completely uh dismantle the supply chain. Uh the product will not be able to be grown. Uh they will not be able to manufacture enough of it. So you guys can see how this is a massive problem and this has caused tons of backlash. As you guys can see right here, Nebraska medical supporters slam the restrictive rules proposed by the governorapp appointed panel. And again, in a situation where the voters have made their voices clear. They want medical herb. The governor is now taking steps to try to make it so restrictive and really make it difficult for these folks to access it. In fact, he’s making it so difficult for the program to even be rolled out in the first place. Governor Jim Pan’s signature on a new slate of regulations. What some are saying is the death nail of medical marijuana in Nebraska. The nail in the coffin on a medical program ever getting started to where patients will see real access in the state. So that’s going to affect tons of folks in Nebraska, folks who are just trying to get their medicine. And when you really think about it, are these regulations placed on any other types of medicine? I’m not necessarily sure that they are. Imagine saying that you could only have one pharmacy in your area or in your neighborhood and fall for the entire state. It causes tons of issues. And that led tons of folks to fill the Lincoln hearing room as all of them oppose these regulations. Dozens of people filled the Lincoln Hearing Room on Wednesday afternoon, voicing their opposition to Nebraska’s medical cannabis regulations that make the state’s program one of the most restrictive in the entire country. These regulations make it effectively not accessible in the state of Nebraska. These violate the spirit and the will of the people. 240,000 Nebraskans took the time to sign a ballot initiative because they support medical cannabis. Others waving signs. We deserve described a feeling of betrayal. 71% of Nebraskans voted for medical cannabis last November. Why bother voting if our government is going to turn around and squash the clear will of the people? Noticeably absent, the commissioners who passed the regulations. The current rules prohibit smoking, vaping, and use of the flower only allow instate healthc care practitioners to recommend medical cannabis and put tight reigns on the supply chain, limiting the number of cultivators and the amount of plants they can have. But this is absolutely crazy, guys, and you guys can see how it can become a massive problem. But thankfully, the folks in Nebraska stood up against it. And also, there may be a silver lining because a Nebraska tribe was one of the first in the state to legalize the good herb. And I’m going to show you guys a little bit more about that in a bit. But before we do, just a quick reminder. If you’re getting value from this video, please do like, share, and subscribe to the channel. And if you want to support us further, join the Iican VIP Bean Club or just buy us a cup of coffee. And if you happen to be a home gardener, try the I can Organics. Use the code legal. It works on the bundle and the beans. Welcome back. If you’ve watched the news at all recently, you’ll know medical marijuana has been a big issue in the state. In 2024, voters approved medical marijuana after years of fighting by advocates, mostly parents, who say their kids could be saved by the drug. But with the votes in, the battle for medical marijuana only ramped up. with roadblocks in the courts from Nebraska’s top politicians and within the commission tasked with regulating it. In this series, the will of the people, 10-E1’s Jake Lawson walks us through the history and future of medical marijuana in the Corn Husker state. There will be a day very soon that there will be a parent that will go into the doctor’s office and medical cannabis will be an option and that day will be I think it’ll make all of this worth it. We vote, we get it, and now they’re trying to destroy it. Years of history to end up here in 2025 with medical marijuana legalized, but advocates still fighting. Some of our, you know, highest elected officials in this state have spent time and money, um, I’d like to be clear, some of that taxpayer dollars, ridiculous, in fighting what 71% of people passed. And that’s something that a lot of you guys do not necessarily pay attention to. The taxpayers money is what’s being used to battle what the taxpayers want. I mean, it’s crazy. And before you guys go, oh, it just happens in red states. It also happens in blue states. It’s a bipartisan issue. It happens among both party lines. Now, that being said, recently we’ve seen a situation where the Nebraska attorney general actually called the good herb poison and said that anyone who buys it from a tribe within the state does so at their own peril. Now, this is not the first time that the Nebraska attorney general spoke out negatively against legalization because just a few months ago, he did the exact same thing. Have a look. It is something we have talked about ad nauseium. And on this road to legalization, there have been no shortage of detours. In fact, there’s still quite a bit of work to do. Yeah, state lawmakers are now moving forward with an amendment that would lay the groundwork for regulation by the newly formed Nebraska Cannabis Commission, but it is hitting some serious speed bumps with the Attorney General’s office. 101’s Matthew Miter breaks down where medical marijuana stands as of tonight. But today, Attorney General Mike Hildridge came out against both, saying they would serve as a loophole of sorts to purchasing cannabis flour. that in my view would supercharge the black market is a recreational marijuana bill that has a whole host of negative impacts on the state of Nebraska. But Senator John Kavanagh says the law would be a framework for the cannabis commission to safely regulate medical marijuana. Now guys, what I don’t get is that a lot of these lawmakers and officials and politicians, they’re so scared of the black market. They really are worried about it and they think that everything they do will just cause the black market to boom. But the truth is when you guys don’t legalize or you just legalize but overregulate, overt tax, oversaturation, all these things, that’s what causes the black market to boom. Because a proper regulated recreational market actually causes the black market to dwindle. But on the flip side, it may just lead certain folks to take matters into their own hands. For example, the Omaha tribe of Nebraska, which became the first government in the state to fully legalize the gutter, both for medical and recreational purposes. Some Nebraskans will be able to buy marijuana in Nebraska. But there’s a catch. It’ll only be sold by the Omaha tribe and only on native land about an hour away from Omaha. The Omaha Tribal Council adopted Title 51 today. KV News Watch7’s Pete Kaid spoke with the attorney general of the tribe in an exclusive on camera interview about what this means going forward. Tuesday, the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska made history, becoming the first tribe in the state to fully legalize and regulate cannabis. This has been a priority of the tribe for going on 10 years now. Title 51 will create a tribal cannabis regulatory commission and legalize the sale of medical cannabis. It will also make it legal for adults 21 and older to purchase and use recreational marijuana, but only on reservation land. Prior tribal cannabis offenses will also be expuned. Attorney General for the tribe, John Cardier, says they’re seizing an opportunity to show tribal leadership. There’s a void left intentionally by the Nebraska state and their slow roll out, really dragging their heels with their own Nebraska Cannabis Commission. A move they call necessary after the reconciliation bill was passed. So, it’s really interesting to see that the Omaha tribe is taking matters into their own hands. And what we’re seeing is a little bit of a standoff between Nebraska’s attorney general and the Omaha trib’s attorney general. And things have even gone so far that state officials were hinting at prosecuting people for buying herb on the reservation lands. And that led to the Nebraska tribe to push back. We begin tonight with what is poised to become a long fight between the state of state of Nebraska and the Omaha tribe of Nebraska. Earlier this week, we told you how the tribe felt as though they were being threatened by the state because they created their own medical cannabis commission. Today, another back and forth from the two sides. Here’s some of what the attorney general had to say in Lincoln. You are not a licensed dispensary or cultivator. You cannot operate in the medical world, medical marijuana world under current state statute. So, that would be a violation of state law. And you certainly cannot do a recreational. Attorney General for the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, John Cardier, tells me first off, they’re not talking about recreation marijuana. Secondly, he says Nebraska doesn’t get to control how the tribe designs its own licensing and compliance on tribal land. That because Nebraska recognizes medical cannabis and regulates it. Those are civil regulatory rules, not criminal prohibitions. The tribe also says the state is threatening to position troopers at the highways in and out of the reservation to Macy, Nebraska. Anyone who tries to go to the tribe tribal lands to buy marijuana for any purpose does so at their own peril and I would highly discourage them from doing that. The tribe responds in this way. What a purchaser does off the reservation is governed by state law, not tribal law that will make it clear with visible notices and responsible use guidelines. But the tribe also stresses no matter what Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission comes up with in Lincoln, Nebraska voters made it legal for a qualified patient to possess up to 5 ounces of product, which is more than what’s been put in the current set of rules. So, you all can see how feisty things are getting between the Nebraska Attorney General and the Omaha Tribe. And that also led to further claims of retaliation by the tribe on the part of the Nebraska Attorney General. Have a look. New tonight, the Omaha tribe claims Nebraska’s attorney general is retaliating against their medical marijuana program. The tribal attorney general says he received a phone call from the state about an unrelated matter. First Alert 6’s Andrew Feifer is live in the studio. Andrew, tell us more about this phone call. Brian, Aaron, the Omaha tribe says the call was about a tobacco tax compact, a way to share revenue from the state’s tobacco sales tax. The negotiations were fairly new between the Omaha tribe and the state of Nebraska. But after that phone call, the Omaha trib’s attorney general, John Cardier, questions the timing, calling it suspicious at best, considering the tribe is currently in the middle of creating its own cannabis commission. Certainly retaliation. That’s what was said explicitly to me over the phone. The phone call from the Nebraska Attorney General’s office, according to John Cardier, came an hour before the tribe’s first cannabis commission meeting. She told me flat out um that the attorney general’s office was not going to move forward on our tribal tobacco tax compact because the tribe is going to engage in the medical cannabis industry. Now guys, just let that sink in. And unsurprisingly, the government is moving like the mafia. They’re basically telling the sovereign tribal nation that unless you do this, you’re not going to get this. And again, they’re two completely unrelated issues. One is tobacco, one is medical herb. But what the officials are trying to do is bring the two of them together and penalize them because they did one but not the other. Um, you know, we were promised certain revisions, certain uh followup for weeks, months, uh, until an hour before our commission hearing where they just flat out said they’re not going to do it because we’re doing medical cannabis. On Wednesday, the state’s attorney general says he would not speak about private conversations publicly, but gave some insight from the state’s perspective. I’m not talking about my private conversation with the council for the tribe, but when we met with the tribal members, what they asked for was a 90% cut of state tax revenue. 90%. Which is like $300,000 plus or minus. Now, if you ask him the question, well, what does the state get it for that? The answer is nothing. Hilders says the state would not benefit. But Cardier says the state has done other tax compacts and they’re only retaliating because of the tribe launching medical marijuana programs. The tribe doesn’t have a dispensary license, do they? They don’t have a cultivator license, do they? It’s one question about selling to tribal citizens, but it’s a totally another question selling to non-citizens. They do not have they don’t have a license to do that. Cardier says they’re simply upholding what voters asked for. So, there’s going to be a little bit of back and forth between those two for quite some time. But what’s really interesting is that you know the old saying, if you can’t get something done through someone else, it’s best to just do it yourself. And that’s exactly what the Omaha tribe did because they held a meeting to create their own cannabis commission. Have a look. Of debate and stalled efforts to legalize medical cannabis in Nebraska. The Omaha tribe is moving forward on its own and it could mean relief for some patients who have waited years for access. Today, Triper leaders convened for their first cannabis commission, taking a major step toward launching the state’s first regulated cannabis industry. First Alert 6’s Brena Kefner has more from this historic meeting. Here at Macy, the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska just hosted its first ever cannabis commission meeting. Today’s agenda included swearing in members, appointing officers, and reviewing draft rules that could change the cannabis industry throughout the state. More commissioners took their oaths, launching the trib’s cannabis regulatory framework. The goal of the commission is to create jobs while ensuring safe and responsible cannabis access. So that’s great. The Omaha tribe is taking steps to rule out its own cannabis commission and tons of folks will see benefits from that. In fact, over 50 people applied for the tribal cannabis commission. Have a look. Is slow rolling access to medical cannabis. Another group is fasttracking it. 3 weeks ago, the Omaha tribe of Nebraska made the decision to venture into the business of medical marijuana. What has the reception been like? Are you getting people that are like, “Hey, I want to help out here with the Omaha tribe.” Yeah, overwhelmingly positive feedback. We had over 50 applicants to be on our tribal cannabis commission. In the next two weeks, that list will be narrowed to five. Five members of the tribal cannabis commission. And those individuals will begin to craft the rules and regulations of who gets licenses to grow, sell, and dispense medical marijuana on the reservation in Macy, Nebraska, an hour drive north of the metro. I can tell you right now, I’ve already had folks who have serious grow operations in other states reach out. Last fall, more than 70% of Nebraskans legalize possession of up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis with a physician’s recommendation. Seems like you’re in much better position than the state is. Absolutely. I will say without a doubt I I 100% believe we’re in a way better position, way stronger position. We’re going to be willing um partners and we’re not trying to hamstring. We’re not trying to delay implementation as I think most people have figured it out at this point. That’s really what the Nebraska Canvas um medical program looks like at this point. That’s clear for everyone to see, guys. Not just in Nebraska, but also places like Alabama. On paper, they have a medical program, but the truth is they haven’t rolled anything out yet, and no one has any access. But all that said, let me know what you guys think about everything that we discussed in today’s video. What do you guys think about what happening over in Nebraska, especially when it comes to the slow medical program roll out? And also, what do you guys think about the Omaha tribe taking matters into their own hands? Drop your thoughts in the comments down below. Now, in our next video, you guys may have missed it, but over in New York, they appointed a socialist mayor, and that could mean tons of changes for the cannabis industry, especially considering his Muslim background. So, if you haven’t seen that video, check it out. It’s coming up right now.
Video Tags: laws,legal,news,updates,industry,worldwide,america,regulations,legal news,legal updates,legal news network,legal laws,state laws,federal laws,news updates,law news,legal news updates,law news updates,politics,political news,legal political news,political legal news,trending topics,rescheduling news,rescheduling
Video Duration: 00:24:31
