Sen. Julie Slama of Peru, who voted against LB 110 in committee, said she has several concerns. Her chief objection is that marijuana, another name for cannabis, remains an illegal drug under federal law. Until that changes, she said she does not feel comfortable about state attempts to legalize the drug.

An opponent group called Smart Approaches to Marijuana Nebraska said: “No changes in the bill can address the substantial health risks that today’s ‘super-pot’ presents to users, especially youth.”

The group, co-chaired by former Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, argued that marijuana would become “widely available to anyone who wants it” under LB 110.

But Omaha Sen. Steve Lathrop, the Judiciary Committee chairman, said the measure offers lawmakers the chance to have a carefully thought-out process for regulating the production, processing, distribution and use of medical cannabis in Nebraska.

“I think it makes sense,” Lathrop said. “I don’t think it will fail because it’s not thought through.”

But he also predicted it would face an uphill battle in the full Legislature. If passed, it would face a likely veto from Gov. Pete Ricketts.