Former Husker among those testifying on behalf of medical cannabis

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Legislature’s judiciary committee held a hearing on proposed legislation that would legalize medical cannabis in the state, and a name familiar to Husker football fans weighed in on the proposed measure.

Grant Wistrom, who won three national championships with the Huskers before winning a Super Bowl with the NFL's St. Louis Rams, testified in support of the legislation, which was proposed by State Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln.

“I know that the people of Nebraska want this,” Wistrom said. “Nebraska holds a very important spot in my heart, and I just feel compelled to come out here, advocate for the plant, and also the people of Nebraska who clearly spoke out last year saying that they want. Unfortunately, it was struck down on a technicality, but back here to give the people what they’re asking for.”

Wistrom said that when he played for the Rams and the Seattle Seahawks, cannabis helped him manage his emotions and his body functions. He said it often took him multiple days to come down from his pre-game amp-up, affecting both his emotional state and his digestive system. It was during his professional playing days that he then turned to marijuana.

Wistrom and his wife, Melissa, have since founded Revival 98 LLC. Their company secured dispensary and infused-product manufacturing licenses to operate in Missouri, but it was turned down by state authorities for a cultivation license back in December.

Wishart testified that cannabis has been used for cancer and HIV patients, allowing them to have an appetite and maintain health, but that Nebraska patients are required to go to other states to gain access.

“People are consuming cannabis in this state,” Wishart said. “Let’s be honest about it.”

Wishart said Wednesday that the issue will likely appear on the 2022 ballot if state senators don’t pass a legalization measure this year. She said advocates will propose a one-sentence ballot measure through a citizen-led petition drive if the bill in the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee doesn’t become law.

Several senators on the Judiciary Committee said they’re confident the new ballot measure will pass this time if lawmakers don’t act on it.

Among those opposing the proposed legislation at Wednesday’s hearing was Nebraska’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gary Anthone. Anthone, like Gov. Pete Ricketts who appointed him, has offered staunch disapproval of the proposed legislation, stating that marijuana is a drug and that medical marijuana will lead to higher use by teenagers. Opponents also said legalization would create unintended health risks.

Another high-profile figure who has opposed the legalization of marijuana in Nebraska is Wistrom’s former college coach, former U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne. But the difference in opinion hasn’t diminished the relationship between the two.

“I put Coach Osborne on the same pedestal that I put someone like my dad,” Wistrom said. “One thing about my dad and I is we love each other to pieces. There’s so much mutual respect for each other, and I don’t agree with my dad on everything. At the end of the day, we still both love and respect each other.”