Petition drive is 50,000 signatures short facing a July 7 deadline
by Paul Hammel, Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — Advocates for legalizing medical marijuana switched Wednesday from urging Nebraskans to sign their petition to begging them as a July 7 deadline looms to submit signatures to qualify for the ballot in November.
In sometimes emotional pleas at a press conference, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said its all-volunteer signature collection effort will fail unless Nebraskans take the initiative to seek out a place to sign their petition.
Related: Nebraska medical cannabis backers file legal challenge to petition process
“Do it for the suffering people in this state who are pleading with you,” said Crista Eggers of Omaha, as she held up a photograph of her 7-year-old son, Colton, who suffers from up to 100 epileptic seizures a day.
Contents
‘We are begging you’
“This will fail if you don’t step up. We are begging you,” said Eggers, who serves as campaign chairman for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.
The petition drive has collected about 60,000 signatures for each of its two initiatives but needs another 50,000 signatures per petition by the July 7 deadline to ensure there are enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Each petition will need about 87,000 valid signatures to qualify, according to State Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, a co-chair of the initiative.
“It’s on Nebraska to go out and find a place to sign,” Wishart said.
Businesses have petitions
More than 100 businesses across the state have petitions, she said, which can be found at nebraskamarijuana.org/sign Her group will also have volunteer signature gathers at upcoming events, including Tuesday’s special election in the 1st Congressional District.
The 2022 petition drive was necessitated after a successful petition effort two years ago was tossed off the ballot. The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the single petition violated the legal requirement that such petitions contain only a single subject. This year, the initiative is passing two petitions to address that issue.
Related: Nebraska medical cannabis group calls for ‘grassroots’ effort after losing donor
Thirty-seven states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have legalized cannabis for medical use by qualified individuals, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Ten other states have allowed the use of low-THC, high cannabidiol (CBD) products as medicine.
Could prevent surgery
One parent, Nicole Hochstein of Papillion, said allowing her 12-year-old son, Jayen, the opportunity to try a cannabis oil to quell his seizures could prevent him from undergoing an invasive brain surgery that will require him to re-learn how to walk and talk.
“If he was in one of 47 other states he could try an oil, underneath his tongue,” Hochstein said. “We have been pleading for help in this state far too long.”
Related: Ne. medical cannabis drive makes urgent pitch for donors, volunteers
Another parent, Dominic Gillen of Bellevue, said he has been seeking legalization of medical cannabis for 10 years. Sitting next to him, moaning, was his 20-year-old son, Will, who suffers from multiple seizures every day.
“He’s telling you in his own way to please go sign,” the elder Gillen said, his voice breaking.
Opposed by governor, SAM
Gov. Pete Ricketts and the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana Nebraska have opposed legalization of medical marijuana, saying it is not FDA-approved and needs to undergo medical studies. Ricketts has said it is a step toward legalization of recreational marijuana, which he maintains has increased drug problems among children in other states.
Eggers said she also supports FDA approval of medical cannabis but said the process is moving much too slowly. Her son has not responded to the legal medications available in Nebraska, she said, and meanwhile, Colton and other children are suffering.
“We don’t know if (medical cannabis) will help him or not,” Eggers said. But she said it has provided some relief and improvement in the quality of life for others.
“We want the chance,” she said.
Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: [email protected] Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
- Minority Cannabis Academy: Social Equity in Practice
The Minority Cannabis Academy graduated its first class of 25 students in September. The Academy’s goal is to take advantage of the social equity atmosphere in New Jersey to help those most harmed by prohibition. - Marijuana Policy Project Releases Voter Guide to 2022 Governors’ Races and Cannabis Policy Reform Ahead of Midterm Election
On Tuesday, the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) released their voter guide to 2022 governors’ races and cannabis policy reform. In 36 states, voters will be choosing their next governor on Election Day. - Green Thumb to Launch “RISE Express” Dispensaries in Florida
Green Thumb Industries Inc., a leading national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of RISE Dispensaries, today announced plans to expand its medical retail footprint in Florida through a lease agreement with Circle K, the global convenience store retailer. - Missouri AFL-CIO endorses cannabis legalization constitutional amendment
Missouri AFL-CIO president Jake Hummel on Thursday announced his organization was endorsing the proposal, which will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot as Amendment 3, calling it a “huge step forward for criminal justice reform in Missouri.” - Minnesota’s Black cannabis users far more likely to face arrest than white ones
Black Minnesotans are nearly five times as likely to be arrested on marijuana charges as white ones, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It’s a disparity that has persisted for years, despite data showing that Black and white residents use cannabis at similar rates. - Lawmakers ask MO governor to add cannabis legalization in special session
A bipartisan group of lawmakers and activists are calling for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to include marijuana legalization on the agenda of the legislature’s upcoming special session. - In Brief: Pa. Governor Accepting Cannabis Pardon Requests in Sept.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman announce the PA Marijuana Pardon Program, offering expedited pardon reviews to people convicted of only minor cannabis possession for personal use. - Michigan State Police stops cannabis testing after false positives
Michigan State Police have acknowledged that its blood tests for marijuana are producing false positives for THC, and it will immediately halt testing. - Missouri Dems expect boost from cannabis, but split on specifics
Support for legalization and heartburn about the amendment’s details have led to soul-searching among Democratic Party officials across the state. The consternation is particularly acute among Black Democratic leaders. - Signatures on Nebraska medical cannabis petitions to get another look
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office has agreed to take another look at signatures submitted by a group seeking legalization of medical marijuana to determine if they should have been counted.