LINCOLN — Jacy Todd has spent a lot of time in the Capitol over the last few years.
Todd, the owner of Herban Pulse in Grand Island, has been urging lawmakers to make take a more practical approach to CBD and hemp products and pushed for more consideration of legalizing medical cannabis.
He said it’s been an uphill battle but in recent years, more elected officials have been taking a closer look at the benefits cannabis could bring to the state.
“I do see growing support and I don’t allow them to get away with, “we don’t know much about it”. That’s been the talking point all along is they don’t know much about it,” said Todd.
Two lawmakers in particular, Justin Wayne and Terrell McKinney, think those benefits could include property tax relief.
They hope that additional tax revenue won’t be the only benefit.
“Taxing ought to pay for property tax relief and fund education in the right way. But also looking at ways to reduce our prison population,” said Senator Terrell McKinney.
Senator McKinney has introduced LB71 which would set up a regulatory framework for cannabis production and impose a 16% tax on the manufacturing and sale of cannabis.
Senator Wayne has introduced LB52, a similar bill that would tax the sale and production of cannabis at 25%, both bills also include incentives for cannabis sales for areas disproportionately affected by cannabis prohibition.
“We need to stop this, 47 states have seen it become legal for medical purposes. The District of Columbia and three territories. So it’s time for us to move on and advance this,” said Todd.
Todd said lawmakers need to be careful though when it comes to what kind of cannabis they are taxing.
He wants cannabis to help and doesn’t want to see patients being taxed for medicine.
“Not the medicinal cannabis obviously, they don’t tax it in other states as well. But recreational, if that’s the route they want to take with it, absolutely,” said Todd.
