The Nebraska legislature is taking up a bill to legalize medical marijuana this week—the latest in a string of conservative states to consider the reform move recently. Sen. Anna Wishart (D), the sponsor of the legislation, announced that it will “be debated by the full legislature” on Wednesday. This comes four months after the bill was introduced. It was approved by the Judiciary Committee in March, where it was subject to amendments. The measure would allow patients with certain qualifying conditions to purchase and possess up to two and a half ounces of cannabis from licensed dispensaries. It would not allow patients to smoke marijuana, however. While the bill originally would have generally allowed patients to access marijuana for any condition that the plant may treat, it was revised in committee to include a specific list of 17 qualifying conditions, including cancer, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain. Passing in the GOP-controlled unicameral body is expected to be challenging, as lawmakers will likely have to overcome a filibuster with at least 33 votes for cloture.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 05/10/2021 08:23:00