Peterson: 'Who is going to benefit from it? I think an industry that will make a lot of money'

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WEBVTT NEBRASKA ATTORNEY GENERAL DOUG PETERSON BELIEVES THE PUSH TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS COMING FROM AN INDUSTRY THAT HOPES TO MAKE BIG MONEY IF IT’S PASSED IN THE STATE. ALEXANDRA: KETV NEWSWATCH 7’S ANDREW OZAKI HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH THE STATE’S TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICA ANDREW HAS THE STORY, NEW AT 10:00. >> WHO IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM IT? I THINK AN INDUSTRY THAT WILL MAKE A LOT OF MONEY. WHO IS GOING TO BE HARMED? I THINK A LOT OF NEBRASKA CITIZENS ARE GOING TO HARMED. REPORTER: ATTORNEY GENERAL DOUG PETERSON SAYS HIS OPPOSITION TO LEGALIZING MARIJUANA HAS GROWN, EVEN FOR MEDICAL PURPOSE MAINLY, BECAUSE OF NEW REPORTS WEIGHING THE IMPACTS OF LEGALIZATION IN OTHER STATES. >> THESE ARE SHOWING THAT THE MARIJUANA HAS MORE DETRIMENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS THAN PEOPLE INITIALLY RECOGNIZED REPORTER: HE POINTS TO A STUDY BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE. >> THAT CANNABIS USE CAN INCREASE THE USE OF PARANOID -- THE RISK OF PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OTHER PSYCHOSIS. REPORTER: AND, A 2015 STUDY ALSO SUGGESTS A POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN CANNABIS USE AND SCHIZOPHRENIA, BUT IT NOTES THERE’S ROOM FOR DOUBT -- SAYING IN MANY CASES, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHICH CAME FIRST -- CANNABIS USE OR THE SCHIZOPHRENIA. >> OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE HARMED. REPORTER: THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS WITH MEDICAL CANNABIS, THERE ARE TOO MANY DOUBTS -- SAYING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH HAS NOT YET DETERMINED ITS SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS. >> THERE’S ONLY ONE ENTITY THAT WANTS TO RUSH THIS AND THAT’S THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY. AND THE REASON THEY WANT TO RUSH IT IS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO RUSH IT BEFORE THE MEDICAL EVIDENCE CAN BE FLUSHED OUT. REPORTER: ON THE ISSUE OF CBD OIL, PETERSON ISSUED THIS MEMO IN SEPTEMBER 2017 SAYING THE PRODUCT, EVEN THOUGHT IT MAY CONTAIN NO THC IS STILL ILLEGAL IN THE STATE. >> THE DEFINITION OF THIS PRODUCT IS ILLEGAL IN THIS STATE. REPORTER: SOME COUNTIES LIKE SARPY HAVE ISSUED CEASE AND DESIST ORDERS TO STORES WHO SELL THE PRODUCTS. SCOTTSBLUFF COUNTY RECENTLY DROPPED CHARGES ON AN OWNER. THE PROSECUTOR IS SAYING HE HAS BIGGER ISSUES TO TACKLE. >> WE RECOGNIZED EACH COUNTY H TO MAKE ITS OWN DETERMINATION. REPORTER: PETERSON SAYS HE IS SPEAKING OUT BECAUSE HE SEES PUBLIC OPINION POLLS SOFTEN TOWARDS LEGALIZATION. HE WANTS NEBRASKANS AND LAWMAKERS TO DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH. >> DON’T RELY UPON ME OR SOMEONE IN THE INDUSTRY, DO YOUR OWN STUDY AND FIGURE IT OUT. BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC POLICY ISSUE. REPORTER: IN LINCOLN ANDREW OZAKI, KETV NEWSWATCH 7. DAVID: SENATOR ANNA WISHART IS SPONSORING A BILL TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN THE STATE. SHE SAYS IT’S NEBRASKANS WITH SICK LOVED ONES WHO ARE LEADING THE EFFORTS TO PASS THE LEGISLATION, AND NOT THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY, AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SUGGESTED. SHE SAYS A STUDY FROM HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL FINDS LITTLE EVIDENCE MARIJUANA INCREASES THE RISK OF MENTAL ILLNESS. AND, HER BILL WOULD ALSO LEGALIZE CBD OIL AND REQUIRE INDEPENDENT TESTING OF THE PRODUC

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Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson believes the push to legalize medical marijuana is coming from an industry that hopes to make big money if it's passed in the state."Who is going to benefit from it? I think an industry that will make a lot of money. Who is going to be harmed? I think a lot of Nebraska citizens are going to harmed," Peterson said.He said his opposition to legalizing marijuana, even for medical purposes, has grown mainly because of new reports weighing the impacts of legalization in other states."Showing that the marijuana has more detrimental health impacts than people initially recognized," Peterson said.He points to a study by the National Academy of Medicine."That cannabis use can increase the risk of paranoid schizophrenia and other psychosis," Peterson said.Another study in 2015 suggests a possible link between cannabis use and schizophrenia, but it notes there's room for doubt, saying in many cases it's impossible to tell which came first, cannabis use or schizophrenia."I think our young people are going to be harmed by this much more potent drug," Peterson said.The attorney general said there are also too many doubts with medical cannabis. He said scientific research has not yet determined its safety or effectiveness. "Just as they can bring out anecdotal stories of helpful responses, we can bring out anecdotal stories of people who have really gotten harmed," Peterson said."There's only one entity that wants to rush this and that's the marijuana industry and the reason they want to rush it is because they want to rush it before the medical evidence can be flushed out."On the issue of CBD oil, Peterson stands by the memo he issued in September 2017.It said any cannabidiol product obtained by any other means other than the authorized UNMC study remains illegal."The definition of this product is illegal in this state," Peterson said.Some counties, such as Sarpy County, have issued cease and desist orders to stores that sell the products.Scottsbluff County recently dropped charges against an owner. The prosecutor said he has "bigger issues to tackle." "It's left to each county, each law enforcement agency, each county attorney to determine whether or not they have the resources or a significant problem in which they would have to enforce that," Peterson said. Peterson said he is speaking out because he sees public opinion polls softening toward legalization.He wants Nebraskans and lawmakers to do their own research."I see those polls and I see the science that we're studying and I'm saying people have got to find out," Peterson said. "Don't rely upon me or someone in the industry, do your own study and figure it out. Because it's going to be a significant public policy issue."Sen. Anna Wishart is sponsoring LB 110.That bill would legalize medical marijuana in the state. She said it's Nebraska families with sick loved ones who are leading the efforts to pass the legislation and not the marijuana industry, as the attorney general suggested. She says a study from Harvard Medical School found little evidence marijuana increases the risk of mental illness. She said her bill would also legalize CBD oil and require independent testing of the products.