Nebraskan senators are currently working towards the legalization of medical marijuana throughout the state. After much hard work to legalize the medical use of the drug, senators Adam Morfeld and Anna Wishart are proposing a bill to Congress for Nebraskans to vote for legalization on the 2020 ballot.
The proposition of the bill has come after many debates over the matter, but the most recent was a discussion of legislators, who presented the therapeutic benefits of the drug for a wide range of conditions. Lawmakers in Lincoln have worked towards the bill for several years that have not advanced to passage. These debates are leading to the pursuing of the ballot measure by advocates.
“Our legislature has been given multiple opportunities to legalize medical marijuana over the past five years and help relieve suffering for Nebraskans with serious medical conditions,” Senator Anna Wishart, who is co-chairing the ballot campaign in addition to sponsoring legislation. “It is essential that Nebraskans have an opportunity to vote on this issue on the 2020 ballot, which is why we have formed a ballot campaign committee and are filing ballot language today.”
Senator Adam Morfeld, who is also supporting the push, added, “The ballot measure will protect patients and establish the foundation upon which a medical marijuana program will be built.”
Both senators joined with the national advocacy group for the Marijuana Policy Project. The measure is a constitutional amendment that lays out protection for patients and caregivers.
The proposed bill allows physicians or nurse practitioners would be able to issue recommendations to patients, who would then be allowed to “use, possess, access, and safely and discreetly produce an adequate supply of cannabis, cannabis preparations, products and materials, and cannabis-related equipment to alleviate diagnosed serious medical conditions without facing arrest, prosecution, or civil or criminal penalties.”
For this amendment to appear on the ballot, senators and advocates must first collect valid signatures from ten percent of state voters, amounting to roughly 120,000 signatures.
To support the bill and see it on the 2020 ballot, go to https://www.nebraskamarijuana.org.