OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Another effort to get medical cannabis on Nebraska ballots got underway Thursday.
In 2020 the effort got enough signatures, but it was struck down in the state's Supreme Court and didn't make the ballot. The court said it couldn't be included because it was technically on two topics.
Last year, organizers say a major fundraiser died in a plane crash and they didn't get enough signatures. But they're confident the third time will be the charm.
"This time we have a lot more time to do it and we're excited to get back out there and see Nebraskans rise to the occasion yet again," said Crista Eggers, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana's campaign manager.
Organizers will need about 87,000 Nebraskans to sign two different petitions, one on the doctor-patient system and another on the regulation of the industry.
For Eggers, it's personal. Her son has epilepsy.
"If my family had not chosen to make this home," she said, "My son would have access to this. His doctors want him to have access. His doctors have said this would be a good option for him."
Only three states, including Nebraska, have no medical cannabis program. But some are considered to be low-THC programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.
State Sen. Anna Wishart suggested a mistake may have been made last time around.
"We sold ourselves short the last time around when we thought we had to wait for a big donor to come in and support this effort," she said. "We didn't recognize the power of the people in this."
Last year, on each of the two petitions, they came less than 10,000 signatures short on each petition.
"We did that in three months with volunteers," she said. "Just think of what we can do in a year and a half."
Petitioners also have to get 5% of registered voters to sign in 38 of Nebraska's 93 counties. That's something they unsuccessfully sued over last time.
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