Nebraska Medical Marijuana Patients Lack Federal Protections

State's program excluded from amendment shielding other state cannabis laws

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Nebraska medical marijuana patients and providers face potential federal prosecution despite operating legally under the state's medical cannabis program. The state was excluded from a federal amendment that has protected state medical cannabis programs since 2014, leaving Nebraska's program vulnerable to federal interference.

Why it matters

The exclusion of Nebraska's medical marijuana program from federal protections means patients who rely on cannabis for pain management and other conditions could be targeted by federal law enforcement, despite the state's voters approving medical cannabis in 2024. This highlights the ongoing conflict between state and federal marijuana laws.

The details

Nebraska was the first state to be left out of the federal amendment that has prevented the Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration from interfering with legal state medical cannabis programs since 2014. This means patients, providers and businesses operating under Nebraska's medical marijuana program could still face federal prosecution, even though the state has legalized medical use.

  • Nebraska voters approved medical marijuana in 2024.
  • The state's cannabis commission has approved two cultivators but no dispensaries have been approved yet.

The players

Lia Post

A medical cannabis advocate who uses cannabis for pain management.

Crista Eggers

Executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana

An organization that says state and federal representatives allowed Nebraska to be excluded from federal protections for state medical cannabis programs.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I feel abused. I feel abused by my state government, and I never thought that something like that would ever happen.”

— Lia Post, Medical cannabis advocate (wowt.com)

“Nebraska stands out as the worst program, the worst opposition, the most hostile state that has ever been seen. And how sad that is that we are one of the very last states to implement the medical cannabis program.”

— Crista Eggers, Executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (wowt.com)

“The true price on delay right now is people's lives. People are dying, people have died and will continue to die while we wait for politicians to stand down and get out of the way on what the people spoke on.”

— Crista Eggers, Executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (wowt.com)

What’s next

The federal protections will not be reconsidered until next year.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between state and federal marijuana laws, and the consequences for patients who rely on medical cannabis. It underscores the need for more consistent and comprehensive federal policies to protect state-legal cannabis programs and the people they serve.