Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers speaks about his 2025 legislative priorities. He is partnering with State Sens. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha and Tanya Storer of Whitman, who will shepherd the bills through the Legislature. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)
LINCOLN — Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers’ efforts to crack down on delta-8, marijuana and other THC products crossed state lines Friday with a new lawsuit against a nationwide manufacturer and distributor.
Hilgers and his office filed a lawsuit in Lancaster County District Court against Savage Enterprises, a Wyoming corporation based in California. The lawsuit accuses Savage of falling “woefully short” on Nebraska labeling and safety laws and argues that it aims to “entice and ultimately ensnare” children and teenagers.
A Nebraska consumer alerted the Attorney General’s Office to Savage Enterprises, leading to the investigation, according to the lawsuit.
The investigation included the testing of at least seven vape, gummy or edible products that purported to include certain types or levels of THC that were ultimately inaccurate. The lawsuit alleges the corporation also “recklessly ignored” health warning signs against delta-8 and other tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products and did not appropriately warn consumers.
“Nebraska consumers cannot predict with any degree of certainty which ingredients Savage Enterprises puts into its products, nor understand the potential intoxicating or other adverse effects that may result from their consumption,” the lawsuit states.
Savage Enterprises did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
The lawsuit included a section that specified how many products Savage Enterprises has provided to how many retail smoke and vape shops throughout Nebraska, including in Lancaster County, but the specific numbers were redacted from the filing, including in the official court documents. An attorney general’s spokesperson did not answer a reporter’s question on why the numbers were redacted.
Among the allegations in the lawsuit is that Savage Enterprises offers online purchases without age verification and has used advertising that Hilgers’ office says is geared toward minors.
Hilgers’ office says the advertising included a Black Friday promotion in November 2023 promoting a free Nintendo Switch or Sony Playstation 5, social media content creators promoting Savage Enterprises products on various platforms, a Discord server where employees promote products and offer prizes, funny memes posted to appear “trendy and cool” and packaging with fruity flavors, cartoons, bright colors and childish fonts.
The lawsuit also accuses Savage Enterprises of using sex appeal through “young, attractive models” who it argues posted “sexually provocative” or “scantily clad” images or videos while using THC-containing products from Savage Enterprises.
“Savage Enterprises recklessly disregarded the fact that its strategies would appeal to adolescents and teens and would induce them to try Savage Enterprises’ THC products,” the lawsuit states.
This is the 16th Hilgers-led lawsuit alleging violations of Nebraska’s Consumer Protection Act and Nebraska Pure Food Act since he took office in 2023. His office has sent 225 cease and desist letters, too, including 21 in the last month.
Those letters have been sent to shops from Ralston to Scottsbluff, including 104 smoke and vape shops in Omaha, 82 in Lincoln, four in Kearney and three in Nebraska City.
Hilgers has tried to partner with state lawmakers in legislative attempts to take such products off Nebraska shelves that he maintains are already illegal under state and federal law. Past legislative attempts have stalled but will likely be revived in 2026.
The latest, in a partnership with State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, would classify most “hemp” products as marijuana and severely limit, if not ban, most hemp and THC-containing products in Nebraska.
Hilgers is asking Lancaster County District Court to stop Savage Enterprises and anyone “in active concert or participation” with the corporation from continuing the allegedly illegal behavior. The lawsuit seeks $2,000 for each violation of state law.
“The Attorney General will not sit idly by while Savage Enterprises enriches itself and its owners by endangering the health and well-being of Nebraska’s most valuable asset: its children and teenagers,” the lawsuit states.
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