NE Cannabis Official Sources

Last verified: May 2026

Nebraska State Agencies

Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission

• Address: 301 Centennial Mall South, 1st Floor, Lincoln, NE 68509.
• Website: lcc.nebraska.gov/medical-cannabis/overview.
• Public comments: lcc.executivedirector@nebraska.gov.
• Meetings: second Monday of the month (next: May 11, 2026).
• Composition: 5 seats (3 Liquor Control commissioners + 2 at-large governor-appointed).
• Interim Chair: Lorelle Mueting (Gretna).
• Cannabis-related responsibilities: licensing of cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries, transporters; regulatory framework; rule-making.

Nebraska Liquor Control Commission

• Website: lcc.nebraska.gov.
• Administers the Medical Cannabis Commission jointly with at-large commissioners.

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

• Website: dhhs.ne.gov.
• Cannabis-related responsibilities: patient-registry administration if launched (not yet operational as of May 2026); medical-licensure under the Uniform Credentialing Act.
• Posture: opposed both ballot measures; has not registered the in-state physician panel.
• Roger Donovick: DHHS executive medical officer; testified against multiple legislative bills citing federal Schedule I status.

Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA)

• Website: nda.nebraska.gov.
• Cannabis-related responsibilities: industrial hemp program under LB 657 (2019), Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 2-501 to 2-518; cultivation, processing, and transport licensing; sample testing.

Nebraska Attorney General’s Office

• Attorney General: Mike Hilgers (R, elected 2022).
• Website: ago.nebraska.gov.
• Cannabis-related responsibilities: cross-claim plaintiff in Kuehn v. Evnen and Kuehn v. Lippincott; lead role in cease-and-desist enforcement against hemp retailers (204+ letters; 16+ lawsuits).

Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office

• Secretary of State: Bob Evnen (R).
• Website: sos.nebraska.gov.
• Maintains the state’s regulatory rules database at rules.nebraska.gov.
• Named defendant in Kuehn v. Evnen.

Nebraska Legislature

• Website: nebraskalegislature.gov.
• Full statute text; bill tracking; senators’ contact information; live committee hearings.
• 49 senators, ~40,000 constituents each; 4-year terms; 2-term limit (LR 19 CA on 2026 ballot would extend to 3 terms).

Nebraska State Patrol Drug Control Division

• Website: statepatrol.nebraska.gov.
• Statutory framework: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-429.
• Cannabis-related responsibilities: highway interdiction along I-80 / I-76 / I-29; K-9 deployment; cooperation with federal HIDTA.
• Major operations: 1,853-pound bust in Fillmore County April 18, 2018.

Statutory Framework

Neb. Rev. Stat. ch. 28 — Crimes

• § 28-405: Schedule I controlled-substances classification.
• § 28-416: Possession, distribution, manufacture, paraphernalia.
• § 28-416(1)(a): Manufacture / distribution / possession-with-intent.
• § 28-416(2): Distribution penalties (Class IIA felony).
• § 28-416(2)(b): Cultivation any quantity = Class IIA felony.
• § 28-416(3): Concentrate possession Class IV felony at any weight.
• § 28-416(4): School-zone enhancement (1,000 ft schools/colleges/playgrounds; 100 ft youth centers).
• § 28-416(11): Above 1 oz to 1 lb = Class III misdemeanor.
• § 28-416(12): Above 1 lb = Class IV felony.
• § 28-416(13): 1 oz first offense = $300 infraction.
• § 28-429: NSP Drug Control Division.
• §§ 28-431 to 28-440.05: Civil asset forfeiture.
• § 28-441: Drug paraphernalia (infraction).
• § 29-3601: Pretrial diversion.
• § 32-1546(2): False swearing of circulator’s affidavit.

Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 2-501 to 2-518 — Hemp Farming Act (LB 657, 2019)

The Nebraska Hemp Farming Act conforming state law to the 2018 federal Farm Bill. Hemp definition (≤0.3% delta-9 THC, dry-weight basis); NDA administration; cultivation / processing / transport licensing.

Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 77-4301 to 77-4316 — Drug Tax Stamp

Drug tax stamp regime requiring "dealers" to affix stamps. Failure = separate Class IV felony + 100% tax penalty.

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,196 — DUI

DUI statute. Impairment-based; no per se THC limit. State v. Daly, 278 Neb. 903 (2009): "to any appreciable degree" standard.

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,197 — Implied Consent

Implied-consent statute. Refusal = automatic 1-year revocation.

Initiative Texts — I-437 + I-438

The full statutory texts of Initiatives 437 (Patient Protection Act) and 438 (Regulation Act) are on file with the Nebraska Secretary of State and available through the Sec. of State’s rules.nebraska.gov database. Initiative 437 took effect December 12, 2024; Initiative 438 took effect December 12, 2024 with implementation deadlines (July 1, 2025 emergency rules; October 1, 2025 license issuance).

Federal Sources

• 21 U.S.C. § 841 — Federal Controlled Substances Act manufacture, distribution, possession with intent.
• 21 U.S.C. § 844 — Federal simple possession.
• 21 U.S.C. § 802(16) — "marihuana" definition.
• 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-334) — hemp definition (≤0.3% delta-9 THC dry weight).
• P.L. 119-37 § 781 (signed Nov 12, 2025) — federal hemp 0.4 mg/package cap effective Nov 12, 2026.
• April 28, 2026 DOJ Schedule III rescheduling — 91 Fed. Reg. 22714.

Court Decisions

• State v. Daly, 278 Neb. 903 (2009) — "appreciable degree" DUI impairment standard.
• Wagner v. Evnen (2020) — Nebraska Supreme Court 5-2 single-subject strike of prior cannabis amendment.
• Kuehn v. Evnen (Lancaster Cty 2024) — Lancaster Cty District Court upheld I-437/438 petitions Nov 26, 2024; on appeal NE Supreme Court (heard Dec 3, 2025; pending).
• Kuehn v. Lippincott et al. (Lancaster Cty 2024) — standing dismissed June 26, 2025; on appeal NE Supreme Court (heard April 27, 2026; pending).

Federal Agencies

• DEA — Omaha Field Division oversees Nebraska.
• U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Nebraska — Omaha and Lincoln divisions.
• USDA Agricultural Marketing Service — approves state and tribal hemp plans.
• FDA — regulates CBD product labeling and food/dietary-supplement claims.

Related on this site: NE Cannabis Advocacy, Send a Message, Contact CannabisNebraska.org.