OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Nebraska medical marijuana patients and providers face potential federal prosecution despite operating under state law after the state was excluded from federal protections that shield other medical cannabis programs.
The exclusion means patients, providers and businesses operating legally under Nebraska’s medical marijuana program could still face federal prosecution because cannabis remains illegal under federal law.
“I feel abused. I feel abused by my state government, and I never thought that something like that would ever happen,” said Lia Post, a medical cannabis advocate who uses cannabis for pain management.
Nebraska was omitted from a federal amendment that has protected state medical cannabis programs since 2014, according to Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.
“This amendment includes a writer that has been in there since 2014 that prevents the DOJ and the DEA from interfering with legal state medical cannabis programs. Nebraska was omitted, which was the first time a state was ever left out after they moved forward in legalizing medical cannabis,” said Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.
The organization says state and federal representatives allowed Nebraska to be excluded from the protections. State leaders did not respond to requests for comment Monday.
Nebraska voters approved medical marijuana in 2024. The state’s cannabis commission has approved two cultivators but no dispensaries have been approved yet.
“Nebraska stands out as the worst program, the worst opposition, the most hostile state that has ever been seen. And how sad that is that we are one of the very last states to implement the medical cannabis program,” Eggers said.
Post said she has medical documentation proving cannabis helps manage her pain. She expressed concern about potential targeting by law enforcement.
“I think that they would enjoy arresting me, that’s exactly what I think. I think that they would seek me out to arrest me, just because I’ve been so vocal about it,” Post said.
Despite her concerns, Post said she will continue advocating for the program.
“Here I am, still strapping, but getting tired of fighting,” Post said.
Eggers said delays in implementing the program have serious consequences.
“The true price on delay right now is people’s lives. People are dying, people have died and will continue to die while we wait for politicians to stand down and get out of the way on what the people spoke on,” Eggers said.
The federal protections will not be reconsidered until next year.
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