LINCOLN- After two failed attempts and several years of hard work, organizers of an initiative to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska announced Wednesday the launch of a petition drive a year before the 2024 general election, in the hopes that such an early start will give them the time they need to collect signatures and place the petition on the ballot. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, the group organizing the drive, kicked off its third petition drive with an evening event in downtown Lincoln.

The campaign will utilize two petitions, both aimed at legalizing medical cannabis. Each of these needs roughly 87,000 signatures from registered voters to qualify for the 2024 ballot. "There was never a question that we would come back for a third time," said Christa Eggers, the campaign's manager, "This issue is not one we can give up on; it's people's lives we are fighting for." The group's first attempt came in 2020, and garnered nearly 200,000 valid signatures. However, it was thrown out by the State Supreme Court for violating the 'single-subject rule.'

The effort was resurrected in 2022, which also utilized two petitions, but came up short on signatures. This year's petitions are virtually identical to those used last year, but Eggers believes more funding and organization will help them avoid the mistakes made in 2022. This year's petition is also being circulated sooner than last year's, giving the group more time to collect an adequate number of signatures. Many Nebraska politicians have resisted the idea of legalizing medical cannabis. While Gov. Pillen hasn't been as vocal about the drug as former Gov. Ricketts, Eggers said she expects him to put up a fight.

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