Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission Misses Licensing Deadline 

The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission missed the October 1 deadline to
issue its first licenses, the Nebraska Examiner reports. The
commission indicated it planned to decide whether to issue the first four
cultivator licenses by next week.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioner Lorelle Mueting asked attendees for
“understanding” and called the delay – which was prompted by the
resignation of two commissioners – “a situation that none of us created in
this, where we’re at right here.”

“We would just hope you understand that we’re working through this the best
that we can to make sure that we get the licenses issued in a timely manner
and evaluated and issued in time.” — Mueting via the Examiner

The October deadline was included in the medical cannabis law approved by
voters last November; however, the resignations of Kim Lowe and Bruce
Baily from the commission led to a slowdown of the application evaluation
process.

Once the licenses are issued, they may be challenged by State Attorney
General Mike Hilgers, who opposes the reforms. During a hearing last March,
then-acting Deputy Solicitor General Zach Pohlman testified that the
attorney general’s office “has long held that any attempt to license
entities to dispense marijuana in Nebraska violates the federal ban” on
cannabis.