Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission Adopts Stricter Rules for Industry and Patients

Officials with the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission voted to amend the state's emergency medical cannabis regulations to be stricter than before, including a ban on infused edibles. The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission on Tuesday voted to amend emergency medical cannabis regulations that are stricter than the emergency regulations they adopted in late June, the Nebraska Examiner reports. The new rules prohibit edibles of any kind, while the previous rules would have allowed the sale of non-sugarcoated gelatinous cubes. Under the new rules, tablets with a “thin layer” of flavoring to make the products swallowable would be allowed. 

The new rules also require stringent testing and security requirements and create a “Recommending Health Care Practitioner Directory” for physicians to recommend medical cannabis to patients. Practitioners recommending medical cannabis would also have to take 10 hours of continuing education and complete two hours of continuing education annually to remain compliant.  

The rules, which still require approval from Gov. Jim Pillen (R), would allow patients are caregivers to purchase up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis in a 30-day period but no more than 5 grams of delta-9 THC products from the same dispensary within a 90-day period. 

Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, which led the ballot campaign that legalized medical cannabis in 2024, told the Examiner that the commission “didn’t just ignore” their voter-mandated authority, “they shredded it” and “delivered defiance, obstruction, and betrayal.” 

“By approving rules that pile on new barriers and unlawfully restrict forms of cannabis, they are dismantling what the people demanded at the ballot box. This is a direct assault on patients, families and the democratic process itself. Nebraskans voted for access to medicine.” — Eggers in a statement to the Examiner    

The rules maintain the statewide limit of 12 dispensaries – arranged by judicial district – which would mean several counties would only be allowed one dispensary each. 

The regulations still require the commission to begin licensing medical cannabis businesses by October 1.  

If the rules are approved, they would remain in effect for 90 days.