Nebraska is inching closer to permitting medical marijuana after Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong affirmed the validity of the petitions that put it on the ballot, where it was approved by voters. Despite this legal victory for advocates, the state's attorney general may appeal to the Nebraska Supreme Court. More than two-thirds of Nebraska voters supported legalizing medical marijuana on November 5, with results set for certification on December 2.
Challenges to the petitions included accusations by Secretary of State Bob Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers regarding improper signature collection. There were even criminal charges against a petition circulator for alleged forgery. However, the judge found no evidence of widespread fraud, bolstered by the Secretary of State's office's certification of nearly 90,000 valid signatures, surpassing the threshold of 86,499 required for ballot placement.
This development marks a turning point for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, who have seen previous efforts thwarted. An earlier attempt in 2020 was blocked by the state Supreme Court because it was phrased as more than one question, and a 2022 campaign failed to secure sufficient signatures. As Nebraska progresses, the state follows a mixed national trend where recreational legalization efforts have been rebuffed in places like North Dakota, South Dakota, and Florida, but embraced for medical use in numerous states, most recently Ohio. Nationally, there's momentum as federal efforts emerge to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous substance. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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