Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R) is calling on state lawmakers to reject legislation that would implement a medical cannabis program—despite the fact that over two-thirds of voters approved the initiative in a ballot measure last year.
At a press conference this week, Hilgers stood alongside law enforcement officials to denounce Legislative Bill 677, which seeks to regulate medical cannabis access and establish a governing commission. The attorney general warned that the bill could “supercharge the black market” and pave the way for full recreational cannabis legalization.
“This is not about the will of the people,” Hilgers said, according to the Nebraska Examiner. “This is going to make Nebraska less safe, more dangerous. It’s going to handcuff the good men and women here that are in front of you and all their colleagues around the state.”
Legislative Bill 677, introduced by Sen. Ben Hansen (R), was initially rejected by the General Affairs Committee earlier this year. However, the bill was revived and amended to include additional regulatory details and oversight through a newly formed Medical Cannabis Commission. The bill has now advanced to the full legislative floor.
Sen. Hansen criticized Hilgers’ comments, stating that the attorney general was “turning a blind eye” to the will of Nebraska voters, who overwhelmingly supported medical cannabis reform.
Under the ballot measure passed last year, any patient with a medical condition can qualify for the program if recommended by a licensed physician or medical professional. The proposed legislation would create a formal framework for product safety, dispensary licensing, and patient access.
While supporters argue that regulation will create a safer, more controlled environment for medical cannabis patients, Hilgers and law enforcement leaders maintain that legalization would increase crime and drug access for youth.
As the bill heads for debate on the legislative floor, the clash between voters’ voices and state-level resistance continues to fuel controversy over Nebraska’s cannabis future.
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