Two initiatives, the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection Initiative and the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Initiative have both surpassed the required 87,126 valid signatures to be considered for the November 2024 ballot.
The Nebraska Secretary of State's office confirmed the 89,000 petitions have valid signatures and that officials are “nearing the end of the verification process by county election offices,” bringing them close to certification.
Crista Eggers, campaign manager for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM), expressed the excitement of those involved in the movement.
“After years of hard work, we are beyond excited that Nebraskans will finally have the opportunity to have their voices heard on this issue in November,” she said in statement posted on Facebook. “Our fight has been long, it has been hard, but we have never given up. Today we celebrate that very soon, patients in this state will have access to medical cannabis treatment.”
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Securing Legal Protections For Patients
The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection Initiative is designed to protect medical marijuana patients and their caregivers from legal repercussions. This initiative would ensure that those using medical cannabis, as recommended by a healthcare provider, would not face prosecution.
The second initiative, Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Initiative aims to create the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission, which would regulate the state’s medical marijuana businesses.
This commission would be responsible for overseeing the cultivation, distribution and sale of medical marijuana and ensuring a structured and safe marketplace.
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Next Steps Toward Certification
While the petitions have met the necessary signature thresholds, Secretary of State Bob Evnen has requested that county election offices continue verifying signatures until they reach the 110% threshold provided under state law enabling them to stop verifying signatures.
NMM has fallen short twice in the past. This time, with nearly 115,000 signatures turned in – far exceeding the required 86,499 – it seems medical marijuana is on its way to approval in Nebraska.
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