LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – The Nebraska Legislature committee overseeing the governor’s appointments to the Medical Marijuana Commission had a lot of questions for the two picks.
The testimony of Lorelle Mueting and Monica Oldenburg came two days after Nebraska lawmakers rejected a bill to regulate medical marijuana. Gov. Jim Pillen wants Mueting and Oldenburg to help create the rules and regulations for medical cannabis, but opponents point out that both women have testified against medical cannabis in the past.
Once debate wrapped, the General Affairs Committee voted to present the Legislature with a 5-3 vote in favor of Oldenburg, and a 4-4 split vote for Mueting.
The committee will submit those recommendations to the Clerk of the Legislature so it can go before the full Unicam. The earliest a vote can happen is Wednesday; the latest would be Monday, June 2 — the last day of the regular session. If approved, the pair will join the three members of the state liquor commission to form the newly created Nebraska Medical Marijuana Commission.
Mueting told the committee on Thursday that she isn’t planning to be an obstacle in the regulation process.
“The voters have spoken. Medical marijuana is what people in Nebraska voted for. I don’t view my role in this to try and squash it because i don’t have the power to do that,” she said.
Dr. Monica Oldenburg spoke about the concerns over her appointment.
“I think we need to look at research, and there is some research with some of these conditions that show that it helps,” she said. “That is going to be on the commission with collaborating with both the public, Nebraska Medical Society, other physicians and saying, ‘Where is our research going? Is this a good condition to help with?’”
State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, who is also the committee’s vice chairperson, asked Mueting how she came to be on the appointment list.
“I do not know how, uh, I do not know exactly how the governor got my name. But, I — when they started a medical CBD board in Iowa, I always though it would be important to have a prevention perspective on the board — prevention and treatment perspective on the board. But I do not live in Iowa, so I could never apply,” she answered.
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Digital Director Gina Dvorak contributed to this report.
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Gov. Jim Pillen’s two appointees to regulate medical marijuana have been outspoken against it. Read More
