Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Approves Medical Cannabis Rules

The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska’s Cannabis Commission approved regulations on Wednesday to allow medical cannabis access on tribal lands, WOWT reports.

With the rules established, tribal officials said their goal is to begin accepting medical cannabis applications by the commission’s next meeting in December.

During the meeting, Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Attorney General John Cartier addressed opposition to the reforms by Gov. Jim Pillen (R) and Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R) after the governor publicly scrapped plans for a tobacco tax compact with the tribe due to its decision to legalize medical and adult-use cannabis. Cartier specified during Wednesday’s meeting that the reforms being discussed were purely for medical access, the report said.

The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Tribal Council approved the medical cannabis reforms in July, where leaders also voted to legalize adult-use cannabis. The tribe plans to implement its medical program before tackling the adult-use reforms.

Meanwhile, Nebraska voters chose last year to legalize medical cannabis access, but lawmakers failed during the subsequent session to pass a bill implementing the program. The governor signed emergency rules for the program in September. Medical cannabis advocates, however, argue that the rules proposed by the state are overly restrictive and will fall short of what voters approved.