Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen has signed off on emergency medical marijuana regulations, approved last week by the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission, triggering a wave of concern and criticism from patient advocates and cannabis reform groups. Under the new emergency rules, dispensaries are prohibited from selling whole-plant cannabis as well as any products that are intended for vaping or smoking. Additionally, the regulations limit the number of licensed dispensaries to just one per each of the state’s 12 district court judicial districts, creating a tight cap on accessibility across Nebraska.
These emergency regulations are temporary and will remain in effect for 90 days. Following that period, they can either be amended or become permanent, depending on further decisions from the commission.
The action follows the voter-approved Initiative 438, which added Nebraska Revised Statute 71-24,111 to state law. This statute clearly mandates that the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission must “no later than July 1, 2025, establish criteria to accept or deny applications for registrations, including adopting, promulgating, and enforcing reasonable rules, regulations, and eligibility standards for such registrations.”
By October 1, the commission is required to begin issuing registrations to applicants who meet the established eligibility requirements.
However, the newly signed regulations have drawn swift backlash. Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, argues that the commission’s restrictions—especially the bans on whole-plant cannabis and commonly used consumption methods—violate the spirit and letter of the law passed by voters.
“We the patients, families, caregivers, voters, and citizens, will not be silent while this Commission defies its clear mandate,” said Eggers. “It is not their role to rewrite or reinterpret what the people have already decided.”
Public feedback is currently being accepted, and Nebraskans have until July 15 to submit comments regarding the emergency regulations. Comments can be emailed directly to the commission at lcc.frontdesk@nebraska.gov.
As the state takes its first steps in building a regulated medical marijuana system, this early conflict highlights the tensions between regulatory control and voter expectations. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether Nebraska’s program evolves in line with the needs of patients or remains constrained by strict administrative rules.
