Omaha Tribe Accuses Nebraska Attorney General of Retaliation Over Medical Marijuana Program
The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska has accused the state’s attorney general, Mike Hilgers, of retaliating against their medical marijuana program. The tribe claims that the state ended negotiations on a tobacco tax compact after they announced plans to establish a cannabis commission.
According to Tribal Attorney General John Cartier, the state’s attorney general’s office called him an hour before the tribe’s first cannabis commission meeting to inform him that the tobacco tax compact was being terminated. Cartier alleged that the caller explicitly stated that the decision was made because the tribe was planning to engage in the medical cannabis industry.
Cartier said that he was told that the attorney general’s office would not move forward with the tobacco tax compact because the tribe was going to “engage in the medical cannabis industry.” He also expressed concerns that the state plans to station police officers around the tribe’s borders to prevent people from leaving the reservation after purchasing marijuana legally.
The Omaha Tribe is moving forward with its medical cannabis program, including growing and selling it, despite the state’s alleged retaliation. The tribe’s leadership has accused Hilgers of unfairly targeting the tribe and using the medical cannabis issue as a political tool.
The attorney general’s office has declined to comment on the allegations, citing a need to discuss the matter with the governor. Hilgers has also expressed his perspective on entering into compacts during a news conference, but did not address the specific allegations made by the Omaha Tribe.
