‘The tribe is ready to lead. The time to act is now,’ says Omaha Tribe of Nebraska AG John Cartier
MACY, Nebraska — The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska became the first government in Nebraska on Tuesday to fully legalize and seek to regulate both medicinal and adult recreational-use cannabis.
The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska announced the “historic” decision Tuesday, touting a unanimous vote of the Omaha Tribal Council that it said in a statement positions the tribe as a “trailblazer” in state cannabis reform. The approval also seeks to have the Omaha Tribe reclaim its “rightful place as a leader in regional governance and economic innovation.”
“The Omaha Tribe is not waiting on broken systems to deliver,” Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Attorney General John Cartier said in a statement. “We are asserting our sovereign right to govern, protect our community and build a sustainable economy that reflects our values.”
The law immediately took effect Tuesday.
‘Creating real opportunity’
The new Title 51 Cannabis Control Code of the Omaha Tribal Code establishes extensive licensing, advertising, testing, enforcement, education, seed-to-sale tracking and other requirements, according to a copy shared with the Nebraska Examiner.
The law states the cannabis plant has been on the continent for centuries and that Indigenous people have long used plant-based substances for healing, spiritual and ceremonial purposes, the code states. Tribal leaders hope to generate revenue and create employment while investing in health, education, housing and infrastructure.
Cartier said the new tribal law expunges prior cannabis offenses that would now be legal, with a “robust social equity framework” meant to repair harms of past criminalization.
Tribal sovereignty is a focal point in advancing these changes. The code explicitly states that any attempt by state or local authorities to try to assert jurisdiction over lawful tribal licensees or cannabis activity on tribal lands would be considered a violation of tribal sovereignty.
If necessary, the tribe will pursue legal remedies to uphold its sovereignty.
“This is not just about cannabis,” Omaha Tribal Chairman Jason Sheridan said in a statement. “It’s about creating real opportunity for our people, asserting our sovereignty and showing the region what tribal leadership looks like.”
Omaha Tribe of Nebraska legalizes, regulates medical and recreational marijuana
