Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Passes Adult-Use and Medical Cannabis Legalization

The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska is the first government in Nebraska to legalize
and regulate both medical and adult-use cannabis following a unanimous vote
by the tribal council on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Nebraska voters approved a statewide medical cannabis
legalization initiative in November, but lawmakers this year ultimately failed
to pass legislation implementing the program.

According to the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Attorney General John Cartier,
“The Omaha Tribe is not waiting on broken systems to deliver.”

“We are asserting our sovereign right to govern, protect our community, and
build a sustainable economy that reflects our values.” — Cartier, in a press
release

The new law will establish a Cannabis Regulatory Commission to oversee the
tribal adult-use and medical cannabis industries. The adult-use program
will be open to adults aged 21+, “including non-Tribal visitors, on
Reservation land,” and regulators with the Commission will oversee the
cannabis licensing process, product testing, and enforcement systems.

The new law also includes the “expungement of prior Tribal cannabis
offenses and a robust social equity framework to repair the harms of past
criminalization,” according to a press release.

The legalization policy took effect immediately, and the tribe is planning
to launch the cannabis programs in 2025, starting with “licensing,
compliance, and public education.”

Following the Nebraska Legislature’s inaction on the state’s voter-approved
medical cannabis program, officials recently proposed last-minute,
emergency medical cannabis rules, which the governor approved earlier this
month.