Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana push for legalization once again

LINCOLN, Neb. (Jan. 7, 2022 – KOLN) -The fight to bring medical marijuana to Nebraska isn’t over. A state senator plans to, once again, introduce a bill this session keeping hope alive for a group that wants to see it legalized.

State Senator Anna Wishart, who’s been a driving force behind previous medial marijuana proposals, is going to try again. Last year, the medical marijuana bill hit a wall in committee, so then it became a fight to get the issue in front of voters. But the group Nebraskans For Medical Marijuana didn’t get enough signatures to put the issue on the November ballot.

Senator Wishart will be introducing a new bill. While the language hasn’t been finalized, she said it’ll be similar to the one she spear-headed in 2021, which didn’t get past the filibuster. That bill received a good amount of support, but also criticism and concerns about THC levels and whether it was constitutional.

On Friday, our media partner 10/11 NOW spoke to Crista Eggers with Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana. She said she and the rest of the group have been fighting for legalization for more than five years. They hope with a new legislative session, some new senators, and a new governor, progress can be made.

“This is about all of Nebraskans,” Eggers said. “It’s the people that need it today. The people that needed it, you know, two years ago and didn’t have it and are no longer here Because they didn’t have it.”

Eggers said because this new bill is in the early stages, and hasn’t seen it yet, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana is waiting to find out more before starting new advocacy efforts.

There are now information displays on the first floor of the capitol supporting medical marijuana legalization.

Wishart said the draft of the bill is being finalized and her office said it’ll likely be introduced next week.