Residents of Nebraska will soon be able to engage in adult-use cannabis tourism on native lands.
On Jul. 15, the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska formally revealed that it has established the state’s first legal and regulated marijuana framework. The Indigenous group’s Tribal Council unanimously voted to adopt the Title 51 Cannabis Regulatory Code, thereby permitting both adult-use and medical cannabis distribution and consumption on reservation territory.
The code establishes requirements for licensing, seed-to-sale tracking, marketing, testing, law enforcement, education and more. It will also facilitate the creation of an Omaha Cannabis Regulatory Commission with up to five members.
Achieving this goal has been a priority for the group for the past decade. The Native American tribe aims to be a trailblazer in this regard.
“This is not just about cannabis,” said Omaha Tribal Chairman, Jason Sheridan, in a press release. “It’s about creating real opportunity for our people, asserting our sovereignty, and showing the region what tribal leadership looks like.”
The non-profit Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana immediately commended the move. This group played a pivotal role in pushing for medical cannabis legalization in the state. It aims to alleviate suffering through responsible use of the plant.
“Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana stands in full solidarity with the Omaha Tribe and with every patient and caregiver seeking comprehensive, safe and legal access to medical cannabis,” the organization said in a bulletin shared to social media.
“We will not stop fighting until Nebraska implements the program that voters demanded, one without unnecessary restrictions or political delays.”
Adults are now permitted to carry up to one ounce on the Omaha Tribe’s designated lands.
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Omaha Tribe says state’s medical rollout a failure thus far
The group stated that despite receiving overwhelming support through ballot initiatives at the end of last year, attempts to implement Nebraska’s newly approved medical cannabis framework have been hindered by bureaucracy and regulatory confusion.
Nebraska’s Medical Cannabis Commission has been dragging its feet with establishing cultivation and dispensary regulations. Patients are not expected to be able to start making purchases until early or mid 2026 provided there are no more significant obstacles.
The state has historically been known for having some of the strictest cannabis laws in the United States. Growing or selling bud without authorization for medical purposes in Nebraska is a felony offence that can earn you up to two decades behind bars and a massive fine.
On the Omaha Tribe’s territory, prior cannabis-related offences will now be expunged through implementation of the new code.
The Trump Administration’s recent proposed budget cuts to Native American programs have made procuring cannabis revenue highly appealing to the Indigenous group.
Read more: ‘The First State’ will soon be the latest to open a recreational market
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