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.