Supporters try another run at a medical cannabis law, in Nebraska

BEATRICE – For Nebraska State Senator Anna Wishart, it’s been a seven-year effort and two petition drives kicked off the ballot for legal reasons…..in the fight to allow medical cannabis in Nebraska.

She was back before the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee Thursday, promoting Nebraska adoption of the Medicinal Cannabis Act, through LB 588.

"Compared to many prescription drugs, including opioid pain medication which is now one of the leading causes of death in the United States, medical cannabis is far safer and far less addictive. Yet, here we find ourselves today with an FDA that can expedite a Covid vaccine...but cannot take action on this plant-based medicine....even though all but three states, including Nebraska...have legalized some form of medical cannabis."

Wishart said her proposal would be one of the most conservative programs allowing medicinal cannabis and one of the most regulated systems.
"This bill is not going to fail because of a lack of compromise or thoughtfulness on the part of all of the senators and stakeholders that have worked on this. If this bill fails, it will fail like it has in the past...because of the political pressure from a few people in our state, who wield their power to stamp out the will of the people."

One of those testifying in support of the bill was Odell, Nebraska native, Dr. Amanda McKinney, who is an instructor on a certificate program for medical health professionals at Bellevue University and has authored publications on medical cannabis.

"Medical cannabis is safe. There have never been any reported overdose deaths from cannabis use...while there are over ten thousand deaths annually from seventeen FDA-approved drugs that are often used when cannabis could be used, instead. The level of safety with medical cannabis is actually unparalleled in modern western medicine. Additionally, we're all aware of the over 107,000 opioid deaths that occurred in 2021 in this country. And, in states where medical cannabis is used for pain management, opioid deaths have been reduced."

She says a regulatory framework is needed in Nebraska for medical cannabis that is prescribed by physicians who are educated on the subject.
"We don't bat an eye, at people going to the bar every day, and having some drinks after work. That's just almost seen as normal in our culture...and we look at cannabis as though its some kind of devil in us...right? But that's ultimately not the reality."

McKinney says there is a lack of accurate information on the type of medical cannabis product needed, how much to use and when to take it. She said there is also work to undo the stigma attached to its use.