Yo, what’s up, my homies? It’s your boy Dan here, and I’m about to spill some tea on the Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana movement. They recently gave us an update on their journey to collect enough signatures to make their cannabis legalization dreams come true in 2024. So, sit back, relax, and let me break it down for y’all.
Now, you know that in order for these initiatives to qualify in Nebraska, they gotta cover 7% of all the voters in the state. Plus, they need 5% of voters from at least 38 out of the total 98 counties. So far, the NMM has managed to collect signatures in 16 counties. But they ain’t stopping there, nah. They plan to add four more counties to their list before the end of 2023. They’re hustling hard, ya feel me?
According to the NMM crew, they need a whopping 125,000 raw signatures for both of their petitions. And they gotta submit ’em by July 3, 2024. That’s no joke, my friends. These petitions include the Patient Protection Act, which aims to keep patients using medical cannabis safe from prosecution. And then there’s the Medical Cannabis Regulation Act, which sets up a commission to manage the whole shebang and develop some rules and regulations.
To get ready for the year ahead, these folks asked their followers on social media to send in any remaining signature petitions pronto. They want an accurate count so they can plan their moves wisely in 2024. It don’t matter if you got just one signature or a hundred, they want ’em all. Gotta allocate those resources smartly, you dig?
Their campaign manager Crista Eggers been sending out some positive vibes too. She’s all like, “Yo, since we started this campaign again, it’s been amazing to see Nebraskans from all walks of life coming together to support medical marijuana. We’ve been knocking on doors, making house calls, and hitting up local spots. And let me tell ya, it’s been a force to be reckoned with.” Sounds like they’re making some serious moves, my peeps.
They even shared a story on their social media about two superstars who went the extra mile for the cause. These two were out there collecting signatures in a county, and when night fell, they still needed about 15 more. Most people would call it a day, but not these heroes. They talked to every single person. They made house calls. And guess what? They got that final signature they needed to reach their goal. That’s the spirit, my friends! This campaign is all about stories like these and people who don’t quit until they get the job done.
This medical cannabis ballot initiative started earlier this year in May. And they ain’t gonna stop petitioning the government anytime soon. The Legislature ain’t doing jack squat despite the fact that over 80% of Nebraskans want this. It’s a damn shame, if you ask me.
You wanna know something even crazier? Some government big shots are actually opposing this movement. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen recently said that medical cannabis “poses demonstrated harms to our children.” Man, he must be living under a rock or something. Access to medical marijuana should be a no-brainer if it’s been through the FDA-approved process, according to him. What a load of bull!
And let’s not forget about good old Senator Pete Ricketts, who said legalizing marijuana will “kill your kids.” Seriously? Eggers had the perfect response to that nonsense. She knows what’s best for her child, who suffers from epileptic seizures. She’s seen the power of medical cannabis firsthand and knows that it’s a game-changer.
This ain’t the first time they’ve tried to make medical cannabis happen in Nebraska. Back in 2020, they proposed an initiative, but it got shut down by the Supreme Court due to some single-subject rule. But these advocates don’t give up easily. They were right back at it in 2021, and even in 2022, but they couldn’t meet the requirements. Volunteers fell short of the 5% voter signature requirement in 38 out of 93 counties. Tough luck, my peeps.
Senator Anna Wishart is co-chairing this NMM movement. She’s been fighting for medical cannabis for a while now, but these legislative efforts keep getting blocked. She introduced a bill earlier this year that she called “one of the most conservative medical cannabis bills in the nation.” But guess what? It didn’t make any progress after April. It’s like they’re playing a never-ending game of tug-of-war.
Eggers said she can’t wait for the day when she can tell her son that they finally made it happen. It’s gonna be a proud moment for sure. And she hopes that one day, no parent will have to fight this battle anymore.
So there you have it, my friends. The NMM crew is making progress, collecting signatures left and right, and fighting for medical cannabis in Nebraska. They’re facing opposition from government peeps who don’t seem to get it, but they’re not giving up. Let’s hope they succeed and bring some much-needed change to the Cornhusker State. Keep on hustlin’, NMM!