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Tag: Pete Ricketts

  • NE AG Continues Push Against Adoption of Voter-Approved Medical Cannabis Law

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    Republican Attorney General Mike Hilgers continues to lead legal efforts to nullify a pair of voter-approved initiatives legalizing patients’ access to medical cannabis.

    During a recent appearance on Nebraska Public Radio, Hilgers reiterated his opposition to the measures — which were passed in 2024 by more than 70 percent of voters.

    “On medical marijuana, …I don’t think it’s good public policy,” he said. “The federal government has said, and has not changed their position, that marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug, which means it has no, according to the federal government, no medicinal upside at all. Highly addictive, leads to lots of downsides. In that world, it has been my view consistently for years, and by the way, the view of this office, even before I became attorney general, that the sale of marijuana — medicinal or otherwise — is is not lawful, and therefore, is unconstitutional. So as the attorney general, my job is to enforce the Constitution.”

    The Attorney General also said that he believes that state regulators erred when counting the number of validated signatures turned in by medical cannabis proponents, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana. Although a district court judge has rejected that claim, the AG is appealing the ruling to the state’s Supreme Court. (A separate lawsuit arguing that the state’s medical cannabis measures should be preempted by federal law is also pending.)

    In March, AG Hilgers and former Governor (now US Senator) Pete Ricketts circulated an op-ed urging lawmakers not to enact legislation to facilitate the adoption of the voter-approved law.

    Legislation to fund and regulate the medical cannabis access program stalled earlier this month after lawmakers on the General Affairs Committee tabled the bill. Lawmakers are attempting to revive the legislation before the close of the 2025 legislation session. [5/2/25 UPDATE: Members of the General Affairs Committee amended and advanced LB 677 to the floor. As amended, it prohibits patients from smoking cannabis and imposes a limited list of qualifying conditions, among other restrictions.] Legislators had previously sought to amend the law by banning patients’ access to botanical cannabis and by restricting the ability of physicians to use their own discretion when issuing medical cannabis recommendations.

    NORML’s Deputy Director said that elected officials in Republican-led states have become increasingly hostile to voter-approved laws, despite their bipartisan public support. Lawmakers in Mississippi and South Dakota successfully sued to nullify election results in those states legalizing cannabis. In Texas, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued several cities in order to overturn voter-initiated marijuana depenalization laws. In Ohio, GOP leadership are considering a pair of bills to significantly roll back the state’s voter-approved adult-use legalization law.

    “In a healthy democracy, those with competing visions on public policy vie for voters’ support and abide by their voting decisions. However, it is becoming clear that those who oppose marijuana policy reform would rather take voters out of the equation altogether,” Armentano said. “Whether or not one personally supports or opposes cannabis legalization, these cynical and undemocratic tactics ought to be a cause of deep concern.”

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  • Nebraska AG & US Senator Urge Lawmakers To Ignore Medical Marijuana Legalization Vote

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    Nebraska’s Attorney General and former Governor are urging state lawmakers to halt efforts to adopt a pair of citizen-initiated measures regulating the possession, use, and production of medical cannabis. Some 70 percent of Nebraska voters approved the measures on election day.

    Writing in an op-ed, AG Mike Hilgers and former Governor (now US Senator) Pete Ricketts called on lawmakers to ignore the voters’ will. “The legislature has no duty to act now,” they wrote. “In fact, there are plenty of reasons to not act at all.”

    The duo opined that cannabis is “harmful, easily abused, and is not safe to consume even under medical supervision.” Ricketts, a longtime opponent of marijuana policy reform, has previously alleged: “If you legalize marijuana, you’re gonna kill your kids. That’s what the data shows from around the country.”

    During public hearings yesterday, a representative from the AG’s office warned that the state would consider filing a lawsuit if regulators moved forward with licensing medical cannabis providers, arguing that such actions are inconsistent with federal law. Opponents of the law have already filed a pair of lawsuits seeking to nullify the election outcome.

    On Monday, lawmakers also heard testimony regarding legislation, LB 483, repealing patients’ access to botanical cannabis. NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano provided testimony against the bill, stating: “Elections have consequences. Nebraskans have made it clear that they want patients to have regulated access to botanical cannabis. Lawmakers must respect their vote.”

    He added: “LB 483 is undemocratic; it is also bad public policy. … Many patients seeking rapid relief of symptoms such as pain, nausea, or spasticity will suffer by having their access limited solely to cannabis pills and other oral formulations,” which are far slower to take effect.

    In total, more than 300 witnesses testified against the bill.

    Lawmakers on Monday also deliberated over separate bills providing further clarity for regulating medical cannabis access. Those efforts were supported by initiative proponents Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, who held a rally at the state capitol yesterday morning during which they criticized the former Governor’s efforts.

    “The individuals who are continuing to be opposed are absolutely disregarding the fact that 71 percent of people in this state support safe and regulated medical cannabis,” said Campaign Manager Crista Eggers. “And I would ask them to take a look at any state that has legalized medical cannabis and I’d like them to see that their arguments hold no weight.”

    Ultimately, lawmakers did not take votes yesterday on any of the marijuana-related bills.

    NORML’s Armentano warned that elected officials’ efforts in Nebraska to undermine voters’ decisions is consistent with Republican-led efforts in several other states, including Ohio, where Senate lawmakers recently voted in favor of GOP-backed legislation rescinding much of the state’s voter-approved legalization law and recriminalizing many marijuana-related activities. Separate legislation introduced earlier this year in South Dakota that sought to repeal the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis law failed by a single vote.

    “In a healthy democracy, those with competing visions on public policy vie for voters’ support and abide by their voting decisions. However, it is becoming clear that those who oppose marijuana policy reform would rather take voters out of the equation altogether,” Armentano said. “Whether or not one personally supports or opposes cannabis legalization, these cynical and undemocratic tactics ought to be a cause of deep concern.”

    A state-by-state guide to pending marijuana legislation is available from NORML’s Take Action Center.

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  • Germany Deflates GOP’s Anti Marijuana Efforts

    Germany Deflates GOP’s Anti Marijuana Efforts

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    The GOP’s argument against marijuana took a body blow from Germany

    Running against the grain of public sentiment, some members of the GOP are fighting against cannabis rescheduling and trying to be clever.  The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is still having internal discussions about whether to reschedule cannabis from a schedule I to schedule III-controlled substance with some in the GOP wishing to stop the process.  But along comes Germany and they are deflating their efforts.

    Germany has the biggest economy in the EU and are a leader in the United Nations and NATO.  A practical country, they just legalized marijuana. Officials shared legalization would undermine criminal trade in the drug, guard against harmful impurities, and free police to pursue more serious crimes alongside providing medical benefits.

    RELATED: California or New York, Which Has The Biggest Marijuana Mess

    Republican Senators Jim Risch (R-), Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Pete Ricketts (R-NB) are unhappy with the the administration’s plan to reschedule marijuana. To stop or slow the process, these senators question if it violate US treaty obligations. Data shows 89% of citizens believe it should be legal in some form, so they are definitely swimming against the flow of public opinion. Additionally, science, data and the healthcare community have proven it has clear medical benefits.

    The United Nations’s (UN) drug control body reaffirmed legalizing marijuana for non-medical or non-scientific purposes a violation of international treaties.  But enforcement is non-existent.  While Uruguay was technical the first, Canada was the first to fully implement it and the UN has done nothing.  Since then Georgia, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, South Africa and Thailand have made the move without any issues.

    The Senators move has some support in the house, but Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has made it clear he wants progress on cannabis legalization.  Germany’s move severely undercuts the GOPs efforts.

    Andrew Cooper, partner at Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP, one of the top cannabis law firms believes “Consequently, if anything, the fact that Germany legalized adult-use cannabis despite all the hurdles (including not only the Single Convention, but the Schengen Convention of 1985, the EU Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA of 2004, and the Narcotic Drug Act (BtMG), when the U.S. only really needs to address (and likely ignore) the Single Convention, may provide some impetus to the DEA to follow suit”.

    RELATED: Americans Want It, Some Politicians Prefer a Nanny State

    Tom Zuber, Managing Partner of Zuber Lawler whose west coast firm has a robust cannabis division states “It’s exciting to see Germany making history by legalizing cannabis at the recreational level as the largest economy in the European Union. I hope that Germany’s leadership on this front will inspire other countries throughout the world to do the same, including the United States.

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    Terry Hacienda

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