Nebraska: Voters Approve Medicinal Cannabis Use
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APPLIES TO All Employers with NE Employees |
EFFECTIVE Expected on or about December 12, 2024 |
QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call |
Quick Look
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Discussion:
Nebraska voters approved Initiative 437 allowing the use, possession, and acquisition of limited quantities of cannabis for medical purposes by a qualified patient with a written recommendation from a health care practitioner, and for a caregiver to assist a qualified patient in these activities.
Under the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection Act, a qualified patient can use, possess, and acquire an allowable amount of cannabis and cannabis accessories for the alleviation of a medical condition, its symptoms, or side effects of the condition’s treatment or a caregiver can assist a qualified patient with the same activities. A qualified patient means an individual 18 years of age or older with a written recommendation from a health care practitioner, or an individual younger than 18 years of age with a written recommendation from a health care practitioner and with the written permission of a legal guardian or parent with authority to make health care decisions for the individual.
A written recommendation is a valid signed and dated declaration from a health care practitioner stating that, in the health care practitioner’s professional judgment, the potential benefits of cannabis outweigh the potential harms for the alleviation of a patient’s medical condition, its symptoms, or side effects of the condition’s treatment. A written recommendation is valid for two years after the date of issuance or for a period of time specified by the health care practitioner on the written recommendation. The law does not require employers to accommodate medical cannabis use by employees.
The election results will be certified on December 2, 2024. The governor has 10 days thereafter to proclaim the election results, which action will cause the Initiative to go into effect.
Action Items
- Review and update workplace drug policies.
- Have appropriate personnel trained on the requirements.
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