Nebraska marijuana bills would allow vertical integration with caps

Medical marijuana license caps, including no more than 10 vertically integrated businesses statewide, could be coming to Nebraska when the state starts accepting business applications later this year – if legislation introduced this week becomes law.Three lawmakers introduced similar bills that would implement a voter-approved medical marijuana law, according to the Nebraska Examiner, even as the ballot initiative still faces a challenge in the courts – plus a fourth bill that would water down a Nebraska MMJ market by banning flower and severely restricting the amount of allowable THC.

ADVERTISEMENT Nearly 70% of state voters cast ballots in favor of Initiative Measures 437 and 438 on Election Day despite a legal challenge involving state officials seeking to disqualify the measures.A judge tossed that lawsuit, although a former state senator is still seeking to undo MMJ legalization via the courts.

In the meantime, the state Medical Cannabis Commission is required to set rules for businesses by July 1, with the first licenses available by October.As the Nebraska Examiner reported, three lawmakers this week introduced bills that create a patient registry program similar to those seen in other states.

ADVERTISEMENT According to the Nebraska Examiner, Legislative Bill 651, LB 677 and LB 705 would create a patient registry program similar to those seen in other states and establish separate MMJ license classes.Those license classes would be: Cultivator.

Dispensary.Manufacturing.

Testing.Vertically integrated, which includes one retail location and one cultivation and manufacturing location per congressional district.

There are three districts in the state.LB651 would limit the number of vertically integrated licenses to 10 statewide.

LB 483, introduced Jan.21 by Nebraska state Sen.

Jared Storm, a self-described conservative Republican, would limit medical mari...