Crista Eggers
LINCOLN, NE —Nebraska Families 4 Medical Cannabis, a coalition of patients, families, and other allies, are clear with their message: we are going to the 2024 ballot. Wednesday was the deadline for bill introduction in the Nebraska Legislature. This will be the first session in 10 years that no medical cannabis bill will be introduced.
“Patients and caregivers have advocated, educated and fought, trying to get our elected leaders in the Unicameral to listen, and every year we come up empty handed. Our voices have been loud and clear; you have failed to act, so we are going to the ballot to let Nebraskans vote on this,” said Crista Eggers, mom to 9-year-old Colton.
Nicole Hochstein’s son Jayen is 12, and has drug-resistant epilepsy, and echoes the same sentiment:
“For the past decade, the people of Nebraska have begged for help from our legislative representatives. We are no longer willing to wait on them; the ballot initiative is happening now and we are more determined than ever.”
Shelley Gillen’s son Will, who is currently hospitalized, made her feelings very clear:
“State leaders have failed us; they have failed Will and all the patients in Nebraska. We are taking the decision out of their hands and giving it to the people,” Gillen said.
Nebraska Families 4 Medical Cannabis continues to support Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM) in their signature drive, and encourage people to get involved at nebraskamarijuana.org, and find a place to sign the new 2024 petitions. NMM will be required to collect approximately 87,000 valid signatures per petition and signatures are due for turn in on July 3, 2024.
NF4MC expresses their appreciation for the work that Senator Mike McDonnell did to create a bill for introduction, but at the end of the day recognize this is only going to happen through a vote of the people.