ARRESTED. MEDICAL MARIJUANA HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF DEBATE IN NEBRASKA FOR YEARS. TODAY, THE OMAHA TRIBE TOOK A STEP TOWARDS BEING THE FIRST TO SELL IT. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S PETE CUDDIHY SPOKE WITH THE TRIBE’S ATTORNEY GENERAL ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS GOING FORWARD. YEAH, JULIE, ROB, IN THE COMMISSION’S SECOND MEETING, IT SAID ITS RULES AND REGULATIONS IN PLACE, MAKING HEADWAY IN THEIR JOURNEY ATTEMPTING TO SELL MEDICAL CANNABIS. NOW THEY’RE GETTING READY TO START THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO GROW. IT’S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR NEBRASKA MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO FILL THEIR PRESCRIPTION. NEXT YEAR, AT SOME POINT, WE WILL HAVE OUR FIRST DISPENSARIES OPEN AND BE SELLING MEDICINE TO THE PEOPLE. ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE OMAHA TRIBE, JOHN CARTIER, SAYS MEDICAL CANNABIS REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND THE TRIBE WILL OPERATE WITH A VERTICAL LICENSE. VERTICAL LICENSE IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY MEANS ONE LICENSE HOLDER IS ALLOWED. THE ABILITY TO CULTIVATE, TO MANUFACTURE, TO DISPENSE, TO TEST. MEANING THE OMAHA TRIBE WILL BE A ONE STOP SHOP. AS THE MANUFACTURER AND PRODUCER, AND ULTIMATELY THE SELLER GET TO ENJOY THE EFFICIENCIES OF BEING ABLE TO CONTROL EACH STEP OF THE PROCESS. INITIALLY, THE TRIBE TALKED ABOUT SELLING BOTH MEDICAL AND ADULT USE CANNABIS. AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE TRIBAL MEMBERSHIP AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL HAVE JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON MEDICAL CANNABIS ENTERPRISE. YOU KNOW, THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS, JUST THE TIMING OF THAT IS WHY WE’RE FOCUSING LARGELY ON THE MEDICAL CANNABIS ROLLOUT. BUT EVEN THE MEDICAL CANNABIS ROLLOUT HAS RECEIVED BACKLASH FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL MIKE HILGERS. WE SPOKE TO THE AG ABOUT THE TRIBE’S PLAN TWO WEEKS AGO. ANYONE WHO TRIES TO GO TO THE TRIBE TRIBAL LANDS TO BUY MARIJUANA FOR ANY PURPOSE DOES SO AT THEIR OWN PERIL, AND I WOULD HIGHLY DISCOURAGE THEM FROM DOING THAT. CARTIER SAYS IF YOU HAVE A DOCTOR’S NOTE, YOU’RE NOT BREAKING THE LAW. HE KNOWS AS WELL AS I DO THAT MEDICAL CANNABIS IS LEGAL IN NEBRASKA, SO PEOPLE CAN POSSESS UP TO FIVE OUNCES OF MEDICINE. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE TRIBE APPROVING ITS RULES TODAY, ATTORNEY GENERAL HILGERS DECIDED NOT TO COMMENT. IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THE TRIBE WILL RELEASE APPLICATIONS FOR POTENTIAL GROWERS. THEY SAY THEY’LL BEGIN THOSE INTERVIEWS FOR THOSE CANDIDATES AT THEIR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING IN DECEMBER.