Attorney general stops in Sidney to discuss pot laws

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson was in Sidney on Friday morning to meet with area county attorneys and law enforcement leaders. The visit was part of a tour through the western part of the state to discuss how Colorado's legalization of marijuana is affecting Nebraska.

"I want to be an attorney general who gets throughout the state to meet with law enforcement because I take the title as chief law enforcement officer to heart," he said.

The tour comes a couple of weeks before the Nebraska Legislature is set to discuss a proposed bill that would, in part, downgrade possession of less than one ounce of marijuana to an infraction for a first-time offender. The bill, Legislative Bill 189, is sponsored by Hyannis Sen.Al Davis.

Peterson said if passed, the legislation would weaken law enforcement and prosecutors' abilities to fight marijuana.

"We think it's the exact wrong message when stronger and stronger marijuana is coming into our state in different forms," the attorney general said. "This isn't the time to say we're going to weaken our position."

As part of his meetings with local county attorneys, sheriffs and police chiefs, Peterson is hoping to raise awareness about LB 189.

"What we're trying to do is really get out to the people who are affected the most and work our way back east," he said. "We're actually having to get out to voters and say, 'Call your senators, this is a problem. If you have a chance, look at LB 189; we've reviewed it from a law enforcement perspective as to our ability to do our job, and we're very, very concerned that we won't be able to.'"

Peterson is also troubled by the increasing strength of marijuana and the young age of some users.

"I think the biggest challenge that I see, and it's kind of surprised me, we're dealing with a lot of Nebraskans from the '70s and '80s who saw marijuana use, maybe participated in marijuana use, and didn't see it as a big deal," he said. "Why we're fighting this fight is because now it's so much stronger, and No. 2, we've got some pretty good medical evidence that shows that it's causing permanent damage, neurological damage, particularly those in the age group of 13 to 21 when the mind is still developing."

Recreational marijuana use has been legalized in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C.

"As a parent, you always said to your kids, 'You're going to have friends who make bad choices – don't follow them, be strong,'" he said.

State leaders and lawmakers need to be thoughtful about marijuana laws, Peterson added.

"I don't care, frankly, if 40 states are doing it," he said. "If we're thoughtful about it and we conclude that it's not right for Nebraska, then I don't care and I hope Nebraskans don't care what the perception is if we stand strong. Eventually, I think we'll be proven wise on this whole issue."