OMAHA RESERVATION (KMTV) — The Omaha Tribe is searching for a development partner to build a medical cannabis enterprise on its land, a project that could generate up to $50 million annually and create 80 to 100 jobs.
The move follows a 2024 vote by Nebraskans in favor of medical cannabis. The proposed enterprise would include testing, cultivation, manufacturing and distributing.
"Consistently it's been two steps forward, one step back," John Cartier said.
Cartier, the attorney general for the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, said the tribe is accepting prospects for a development partner through April 26.
"We need to set up all these things at the same time," Cartier said.
Of all the aspects of the enterprise, Cartier said testing is the biggest challenge.
"Currently in the state of Nebraska there is not a single testing site," Cartier said.
The tribe has toured other locations that have successfully implemented similar programs. They predict the enterprise would bring in between $20 million and $50 million per year.
Despite the tribe's determination to get the facility up and running, some advocates have expressed frustration with the state's lack of progress on medical cannabis.
A major obstacle remains in the state legislature, which must decide whether to pass protections for health care providers who write prescriptions for medical cannabis. The legislative session ends on April 17.
"Doctors and medical professionals in the state of Nebraska were expressly told if you recommend this medicine to your patient you’re going to be out of a job," Cartier said.
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