To Unicameral State Senator: Make Medical Marijuana Legal in Nebraska in January

Greetings, Senator X, 

I have heard that in January, you will be introduced to a bill legalizing Medical Marijuana in Nebraska. I plead that you vote to make medical marijuana legal in Nebraska. 

This issue is important to me because I have a close friend with a radical neurological disease who was told she needs access to medical marijuana or she should move out of Nebraska so she can partake. Another alternative that doesn't comfort her or others is highly addictive opioids. 

While learning of the variety of people that could benefit from medical marijuana, as you can do on the Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana site, one must be touched by their stories: children facing seizures, people with cancer, and those like my friend with awful painful diseases. I think that compassion is needed and that medical marijuana can be safely produced to be a medical relief to so many people. 

This summer, during the last week of the petition to get the issue before Nebraskans on the ballot, I drove from X to Lincoln to pick up petition sheets. I had wanted to sign and hoped someone would come near enough to me so I could sign. But as I discovered, I was the someone I was waiting for.

Since you represent the people in my area, I think you will be interested to know the passion and interest that drove people to sign the petition, often times surprising me. 

Of course, since there is a pandemic going on, I made sure to wear a mask and at times, like at a dentist's office in X, I would stand outside and every single person in that building came out to sign. One women even called her daughter, a nurse, to drive into town to sign and she did so happily, noting how much we needed it. 

At the grocery store in X, I asked a person at the check-out if I could be in the store, or they'd like to sign. From behind me, I heard two voices insisting they wanted to sign. I hadn't even known they were there. Without prying, it looked to me as if those people had physical difficulties, perhaps MS or something that would have made them candidates for the relief medical marijuana offers.

I walked into an auto parts store in X, thinking I'd probably get shooed out by the two men there. Quite the opposite. The older, in his 50s maybe, said "I wish this had been around two years ago". His wife had died of cancer and could have used medical marijuana to alleviate her pain and suffering. His co-worker gladly signed and said he'd register to vote so the signature would be valid.

In my town of X, I had husband and in-laws and neighbors gladly sign, saying they don't want others to suffer. Every one at the bank signed and the bank manager said his daughter had done a school presentation on it and it sounded like a great thing to help people. He even allowed me to come to his home, so his daughter and wife could sign, as well as his son, who we encouraged to register to vote for his first election. 

Also in X, I had a couple come outside to sign safely. The man said "I'll sign for all the good it'll do me; it probably won't help me in time. I have terminal cancer." 

There were so many instances where people mentioned they were in pain or knew someone who would benefit from medical marijuana or that they figured if it helped somebody, it was a good thing to do. 

From Wednesday afternoon to Monday morning when I had to mail back the petition sheets, I collected nearly 70 signatures! I received 62 signatures from people in X county, 3 in X, 1 in X, 2 in Xand 1 in X. I visited X, X, and X, and interacted with people I wouldn't have otherwise (especially during a pandemic). 

I got a sense that people in Nebraska don't see this as a partisan issue. They see this as a health issue. They want Nebraskans to have the option to safely and legally use medical marijuana for their betterment. We never know when we will need it.

I only participated for less than a week, but I was filled with a sense that it was possible for enough people in Nebraska to say 'We want to see this on the ballot'. AND THEY DID. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana was able to get 182,000 signatures, 110% of the required signatures, and people from ALL 93 COUNTIES! It was amazing and exciting, because I wasn't sure we had the numbers, even that week!

But then came a challenge - and whew - passed because the Sec of State said 'okay'. 

And then, what I consider an example of deceit and corruption that is present in Nebraska. A lawsuit saying that the wording of 'medical marijuana should be legal and the legislature will figure out details'... violated the 'single issue' concept. HOW? Is it so strange to say that if something is legal, WHO is responsible for the details? 

The Lancaster Sheriff who was part of what amounted to a special interest lawsuit admitted he didn't even know who was paying for the lawsuit. I don't understand why he couldn't just vote on it like everyone else was supposed to do.

And the Nebraska Supreme Court let us down big time by an improper siding with the lawsuit 5-2. Why didn't they raise an issue when they approved the petition before it circulated? Who got to them?

I view this as an example of dark money and special interests blocking progress and health care. It infuriates me. There are likely groups in the state who benefit from health insurance and pharmaceuticals who saw medical marijuana as a challenge to their pocketbooks. Because of them, Nebraskans did NOT get a chance to make their voice heard. Our voice, in the form of a constitutional petition, was stolen from us. We could have been among the states that just voted to legalize marijuana, if only for medical use. We could have been working on bettering the lives of people who are in pain before they die. But there are people promoting their own interests above those they are to serve. That is abhorrent to me. 

You, Senator X, have a chance to help these people, to listen to the people in our area who were so willing to sign. You have a chance to help my friend, my neighbors, your family and friends, your neighbors. I implore you, vote to make Medical Marijuana legal in Nebraska. Because if you do, and if you speak to your fellow senators about this and alert them it's in the best interest for those suffering in Nebraska, you can provide hope and change and relief to people you represent.

Please, don't make me go back out to get signatures again! LOL. I've already signed up to do it, but am waiting and hoping that you and other senators use compassion and do the correct thing and make Medical Marijuana legal and accessible for Nebraskans.

Sincerely, 

X

POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM MY LEGISLATOR NEXT MORNING :) 

X, thank you for the email, I can feel your passion. I agree that Nebraskan's should have been allowed to vote on the issue and I personally believe it would have passed. Unfortunately the petition got tossed on a technicality by the courts, one of two things must happen now. First the petitioners can start collecting signatures on a new petition that will be on the ballot two years from now (which is already happening). Second the legislature can pass a medical marijuania bill that the Governor can sign into law. I know Senator Wishart had a very good bill LB 110 that got filibustered in 2019, I will be talking to her this week to see if she is going to reintroduce it in 2021, you can also contact her office and ask them what they plan to do. You should be encouraged that our neighboring state of South Dakota passed a Medical Marijuana bill. I believe we can do this in the legislature if we write a tight well regulated bill, and if we fail, then the people will have the right to petition to put it on the ballot in 2022. Stay safe and I think it is great that you took the initiative to collect signatures in x County, it shows that you are a person that is willing to get involved to make a change.