LINCOLN — Nebraska’s medical cannabis program has hit an unexpected federal roadblock after the state was excluded from a key congressional amendment that shields state-legal medical marijuana laws from interference by the U.S. Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration. For more than a decade, that federal protection has been included in annual budget legislation to ensure patients, providers and state programs operating under voter-approved laws could do so without fear of federal prosecution. But in the latest update, Nebraska was left off the list, meaning its nascent medical cannabis system could be vulnerable to federal enforcement even as state regulators work to implement the law voters approved in November 2024.

Advocates and policy experts warned the omission could chill investment and delay access for patients who rely on cannabis for pain management and other conditions, pointing to continued tensions between state and federal marijuana law. Nebraska’s medical cannabis program has been slow to launch, and supporters argue that without federal assurances they face both legal uncertainty and potential prosecution after the state legalized medical use. Critics of the exclusion have called it a setback not only for patients but for respecting the will of voters, underscoring how federal and state conflicts over cannabis policy continue to complicate implementation in states like Nebraska.

For the full article, click HERE.