Ricketts, former Husker coach Tom Osborne hold news conference opposing medical marijuana bill
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Updated: 6:53 PM CST Mar 10, 2021
KETV Staff Report
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Updated: 6:53 PM CST Mar 10, 2021
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I WILL HAVE MORE, COMING UP IN JUST A BIT. ROB: WEIGHING THE MERITS AND RISKS OF LEGALIZING MEDICAL CANNABIS IN NEBRASKA. ALEXANDRA: STATE SENATORS, DOCTORS, AND PUBLIC FIGURES CAME TO LINCOLN TO SUPPORT AND OPPOSE A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN. KETV NEWSWATCH 7’S JOSE ZOZAYA IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE STATE CAPITOL WITH TONIGHT’S BI STORY. JOSE? JOSE: ALEXANDRA, ROB, WE HEARD PLENTY OF TESTIMONY ON BOTH SIDES. THOSE WHO SUPPORT LB74 SAY MOST NEBRASKANS ARE WITH THEM AND POINT TO MEDICAL CONDITIONS WHERE LEGAL CANNABIS COULD HEL OPPONENTS CALL I OPENING A CAN OF WORMS THAT WILL LEAD TO FULLY LEGALIZED RECREATIONAL CANNABIS. WHAT WOULD LB 474 ALLOW? IT WOULD LET A PATIENT WITH A QUALIFYING MEDICAL CONDITION TALK TO A DOCTOR THEY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH. THAT PROVIDER COULD THEN PRESCRIBE MEDICAL CANNABIS, AND THE PATIENT WOULD ONLY BE AB TO POSSESS 2.5 OUNCES AT A TIME. PATIENTS, PARENTS, AND A DOCTOR WHO STUDIES CANNABIS SHARE THEIR HOPE THERE WILL ACTUALLY BE A VOTE ON THE BILL. >> THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO HERE YET AGAIN, DEBATING T VALUE OF THE LIVES OF SUFFERING INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE, IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. >> THESE ARE QUESTIONS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN NEBRASKA STRUGGLE WITH EVERY DAY, AND NOW, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND ALLOW THEM TO LEGALLY SOURCE MEDICINE JOSE: AT THE SAME TIME, KEY PUBLIC OPPONENTS AND OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARGUE THE MEASURE WOULD RISK NEBRASKANS’ HEALTH WITHOUT APPROVAL AND MORE RESEARCH FROM FEDERAL EXPERTS AT THE FDA. >> LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IN ANY FORM OUTSIDE OF THIS PROCESS, IN CONTRAST, WOULD CIRCUMVENT THE PROCESS AND LEAD TO AN INCREASED RISK TO THE PUBLIC. >> I URGE NEBRASKANS, PLEASE, GET EDUCATED. REACH OUT TO YOUR STATE SENATOR, TELL THEM, DON’T GO AROUND THE REGULATORY PROCESS. JOSE: BEFORE WRAPPING UP THEIR ALLOWED TIME FOR TESTIMONY, LB 474 SUPPORTERS TOLD THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE THAT IF THE LEGISLATURE DOESN’T PASS THIS VERSION OF A LEGAL CANNABIS BILL, THEY CONTEND THEY WILL HAVE ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO GET IT BACK ON THE BALLOT IN 2022. REPORTING IN LINCOLN, JOSE ZOZAYA, KETV NEWSWATCH 7. ALEXANDRA: JOSE, THANK YOU. YOU MAY REMEMBER STATE SENATOR ANNA WISHART’S ATTEMPT TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL CANNABIS LAST YEAR. THE INITIATIVE COLLECTED MORE THAN 190,000 SIGNATURES WHEN IT NEEDED ONLY 120,000, BUT IT FAILED TO MAKE IT TO THE NOVEMBER BALLOT AFTER IT WAS REJECTED BY THE NEBRASKA SUPREME COURT. THE STATE SUPREME COURT SAID THE BALLOT INITIATIVE VIOLATED THE SINGLE-SUBJECT RULE AND WOULD HAVE ALLOWED FOR THE PRODUCTION AND SALE OF MARIJUANA ALONG WITH USING IT FOR MEDICAL CONDITION THE NEBRASKA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CAME TO THE HEARING TODAY TO OPPOSE THE NEW BILL, SAYING IT’S TOO BROAD REGARDING WHAT