SIX NEBRASKA PATIENTS AND SUPPORTERS OF MEDICAL CANNABIS ACCESS PACK INTO A LINCOLN OFFICE BUILDING TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD THIS AFTERNOON. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’M JULIE CORNELL. I’M ROB MCCARTNEY. IT’S A PUBLIC FEEDBACK SESSION ON REGULATIONS RECENTLY PASSED BY THE NEBRASKA MEDICAL CANNABIS COMMISSION. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF JOHN GRINVALDS HAS THE DETAILS. STANDING ROOM ONLY AND NOT ONE TESTIFIER SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE NEBRASKA MEDICAL CANNABIS COMMISSION’S SLATE OF REGULATIONS, WHICH MAKE THE STATE’S PROGRAM ONE OF THE MOST RESTRICTIVE IN THE COUNTRY. THESE REGULATIONS MAKE IT. EFFECTIVELY NOT ACCESSIBLE IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA. THESE VIOLATE THE SPIRIT AND THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, LONGTIME MEDICAL CANNABIS ADVOCATE KRISTA EGGERS SUBMITTED THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES AS TESTIMONY 200 AND 40,000 NEBRASKANS TOOK THE TIME TO SIGN A BALLOT INITIATIVE BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT MEDICAL CANNABIS. OTHERS WAVING SIGNS DESERVE DESCRIBED A FEELING OF BETRAYAL. 71% OF NEBRASKANS VOTED FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS LAST NOVEMBER. WHY BOTHER VOTING IF OUR GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO TURN AROUND AND SQUASH THE CLEAR WILL OF THE PEOPLE NOTICEABLY ABSENT FROM TODAY’S PUBLIC HEARING? THE THREE COMMISSIONERS WHO HEAD UP THE BODY THAT APPROVED THOSE REGULATIONS, BUT THEY’LL STILL HAVE TO REVIEW ALL OF THAT TESTIMONY AS THEY CONSIDER REVISING THE RULES AT ISSUE. TO MANY TESTIFIERS, RESTRICTIONS ON HOW MUCH CANNABIS A PATIENT HAS AND WHAT FORM THAT CAN TAKE. THIS SHOULD BE A DISCUSSION AND A DECISION MADE BETWEEN ME AND MY PHYSICIAN, NOT THE COMMISSION. THE CURRENT RULES PROHIBIT SMOKING, VAPING AND USE OF THE FLOWER. ONLY ALLOW IN-STATE HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS TO RECOMMEND MEDICAL CANNABIS AND PUT TIGHT REINS ON THE SUPPLY CHAIN, LIMITING THE NUMBER OF CULTIVATORS AND THE AMOUNT OF PLANTS THEY CAN HAVE. SENATOR JOHN KAVANAGH HAS FORMALLY CHALLENGED THE REGULATIONS THIS COMMISSION HAS NO AUTHORITY TO GO AGAINST THE LAW. THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE TO HOLD ANOTHER HEARING IF IT MAKES
'Squash the will of the people': Public hearing on Nebraska medical cannabis regulations draws opposition
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Updated: 7:10 PM CDT Oct 15, 2025
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Dozens of people, mostly adorned in green, filled a room in the basement of the Nebraska State Office building on Wednesday afternoon. Through hours of testimony, not a single person stood up to speak in support of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission's regulations, which make the state's program one of the most restrictive in the country."These regulations make us actively not accessible in the state of Nebraska," state Sen. John Cavanaugh said. "These violate the spirit and the will of the people."It was the public's first chance to weigh in on the rules, but none of the three commissioners who approved them were in attendance. They will have to review all of those comments, though.Long-time medical cannabis advocate Crista Eggers submitted mounds of signatures during her testimony."(A total of) 240,000 Nebraskans took the time to sign a ballot initiative because they support medical cannabis," Eggers said, gesturing at a box full of paper.Others, waving signs, described a feeling of betrayal. More than 70% of Nebraskans voted for medical cannabis last November."Why bother voting if our government is going to turn around and squash the clear will of the people?" Tiffany Gustafson, a testifier, said.At issue to many of the speakers was the restrictions on how much cannabis a patient can have and what form it can take."This should be a discussion and a decision made between me and my decision, not the commission," Lia Post, a testifier, said.The current rules prohibit smoking, vaping and use of the flower. They also only allow in-state health care practitioners to recommend medical cannabis and put tight reins on the supply chain, limiting the number of cultivators and the number of plants they can possess.Cavanaugh formally challenged the rules, and there will be a hearing in a legislative committee at the end of the month."This commission has no authority to go against the law," Cavanaugh said.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
LINCOLN, Neb. — Dozens of people, mostly adorned in green, filled a room in the basement of the Nebraska State Office building on Wednesday afternoon. Through hours of testimony, not a single person stood up to speak in support of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission's regulations, which make the state's program one of the most restrictive in the country.
"These regulations make us actively not accessible in the state of Nebraska," state Sen. John Cavanaugh said. "These violate the spirit and the will of the people."
It was the public's first chance to weigh in on the rules, but none of the three commissioners who approved them were in attendance. They will have to review all of those comments, though.
Long-time medical cannabis advocate Crista Eggers submitted mounds of signatures during her testimony.
"(A total of) 240,000 Nebraskans took the time to sign a ballot initiative because they support medical cannabis," Eggers said, gesturing at a box full of paper.
Others, waving signs, described a feeling of betrayal. More than 70% of Nebraskans voted for medical cannabis last November.
"Why bother voting if our government is going to turn around and squash the clear will of the people?" Tiffany Gustafson, a testifier, said.
At issue to many of the speakers was the restrictions on how much cannabis a patient can have and what form it can take.
"This should be a discussion and a decision made between me and my decision, not the commission," Lia Post, a testifier, said.
The current rules prohibit smoking, vaping and use of the flower. They also only allow in-state health care practitioners to recommend medical cannabis and put tight reins on the supply chain, limiting the number of cultivators and the number of plants they can possess.
Cavanaugh formally challenged the rules, and there will be a hearing in a legislative committee at the end of the month.
"This commission has no authority to go against the law," Cavanaugh said.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
