- 300+ Nebraska businesses face closure under new THC restrictions
- Proposed law criminalizes products with 0.3% THC or 10mg per package
- State could lose $8M annual tax revenue from hemp-derived cannabinoid industry
Andrea Watkins’ Kind Life Dispensary embodies Nebraska’s thriving hemp economy. With three locations in Lincoln employing eight workers, her stores serve hundreds seeking relief from chronic pain and anxiety through THC-infused topicals and edibles. But Legislative Bill 999 threatens to erase this progress overnight by outlawing most hemp-based cannabinoid products.
The legislation targets items exceeding 0.3% total THC concentration or 10mg per package – thresholds opponents argue eliminate 90% of current offerings. Omaha Sen. Wendy DeBoer warns the bill transforms arthritis patients into felons: Grandparents using CBD balms with trace THC could face felony charges under these draconian limits.
Republican proponents claim synthetic cannabinoids endanger children, citing unverified hospitalization reports. Dr. Andrea Holmes, chemist and dispensary co-owner, counters: These anecdotes ignore critical context like polysubstance use. Our lab-tested products meet strict safety standards.
Financial stakes intensify the conflict. The 2023 U.S. National Cannabinoid Report reveals Nebraska’s hemp sector employs over 1,600 workers – more than some agricultural processing plants. Senator John Cavanaugh’s alternative regulatory framework could preserve jobs while implementing child-resistant packaging and potency testing modeled after Minnesota’s successful program.
Attorney General Mike Hilgers’ enforcement blitz complicates matters. Since September, four Norfolk businesses received cease-and-desist letters despite selling products legal under federal farm bill provisions. Testing discrepancies cited in lawsuits often involve minor labeling errors rather than actual safety concerns.
Nebraska mirrors national confusion over hemp derivatives. While California bans THC-infused foods despite legal cannabis, southern states like Texas allow regulated sales. Industry analysts suggest Nebraska’s voter-approved medical marijuana mandate conflicts with anti-THC legislation, creating untenable policy contradictions.
With 2025 disposal deadlines looming, patients like retired teacher Marjorie Keaton face impossible choices. This cream lets me garden without opioid side effects,she says, clutching a $29 THC balm. Am I supposed to throw it out and suffer?