The Nebraska Legislature’s Judiciary Committee passed a bill to legalize medical marijuana on Friday, and it will now head to the full legislature for consideration.
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Anna Wishart (D), would establish a system allowing patients suffering from a wide range of conditions to use, possess and purchase certain amounts of cannabis from licensed dispensaries.
An amendment adopted by the committee scaled back the original proposal in several ways, including by prohibiting patients from smoking medical marijuana and from cultivating cannabis at home.
Additionally, the legislation removes a catch-all provision that would allow physicians to recommend cannabis for any condition, instead delineating a list of specific qualifying disorders—although pain is included.
The revised bill also includes more restrictions on the amount of marijuana patients can possess, but it removes a requirement for them to register with the state—a change arising out of concerns about their gun rights being jeopardized by being listed in a registry.
The revised bill passed out of the committee in a 5-1 vote. It is expected to be debated on the unicameral legislature’s Senate floor on Wednesday.
Read more at marijuanamoment.net
