LINCOLN, Neb. — The Omaha tribe, following its full legalization of medical cannabis, has been invited to testify at a legislative interim study. John Cartier, the tribe’s attorney general, played a key role in drafting Title 51, the code that permits the legalization of medical and adult-use cannabis. Currently, the tribe is focusing on medical cannabis, allowing Nebraskans to purchase it on tribal land without the limitations imposed by Nebraska officials.

“We built a program with real public health guardrails, clinic recommendations, ID checks, lab testing, end-to-end tracking, clear potency labels and strict anti-diversion,” Cartier said. “Our opinion is to deliver safe lawful access and full transparency without the unlawful restrictions that choke patient care and make it impossible for compliant businesses to survive.”

Cartier highlighted that the voters’ mandate in November 2024 was “unmistakable,” and the tribe is committed to aligning more closely with the Patient Protection Act. He criticized the commission’s emergency rules and program design, which he said sharply curtail access and impose restrictive limits contrary to the act’s text.

In discussions with Sen. John Cavanaugh, Cartier emphasized the tribe’s longstanding authority to legalize recreational and medical cannabis, independent of the state ballot initiative. He also addressed challenges faced after submitting a tobacco act compact and beginning negotiations with the governor. Cartier described the state’s initial refusal to move forward due to the tribe’s cannabis program as “retaliatory and counterproductive.”

Cartier expressed readiness to collaborate with Nebraska officials but warned of potential legal battles if state actions continue to undermine the tribe’s sovereignty and the will of the voters. “Our government comes in a spirit of collaboration and good faith,” he said. “But let there be no misunderstanding, we are fully prepared to defend the tribes’ laws and the Omaha people in the courts, in the legislature, and in the public square.”

While Title 51 allows the tribe to implement recreational cannabis at any time, it is not their current focus. The Omaha tribe commission will meet in Macy, Nebraska, every third Wednesday of the month, with hopes to finalize their regulation at the next meeting.