“Today marks a small step forward, but we are up against incredible odds.”
By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner
Health care practitioners who want to recommend medical cannabis to Nebraska patients are one step closer to having legal protections for writing the recommendation in the face of some state leaders’ opposition.
The Legislature voted 30-7 on Friday to advance Legislative Bill 933, from State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha. It would protect medical providers from criminal, civil or disciplinary penalties “solely” for issuing a written recommendation or stating that in their professional judgment, the potential benefits of cannabis outweigh potential harms.
“It would create a step forward and hope and an opportunity for these families who have worked so hard, who have waited so long and would like to be able to have that conversation with their doctors and then potentially get some relief,” Cavanaugh said during debate.
Lawmakers clarified that the practitioner wouldn’t be protected from malpractice or professional negligence claims, such as for not evaluating a patient or following the appropriate standard of care. An amendment to that end from Cavanaugh passed 35-4, as did a similar amendment from the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, in a separate
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